The opening of two new Aldi stores in Ashford has been pushed back - despite work starting last year.

The German discounter is due to build the supermarkets on either side of town - one off A28 Canterbury Road, Kennington, and the other on Waterbrook Park in Sevington.

But construction of both sites has been held up, meaning each store will now miss its opening target of mid-2025.

Contractors started work on the A28 plot last March after Ashford Borough Council (ABC) approved the scheme.

Vegetation was cleared as diggers moved onto the former Houchin Social Club site next to the M20, which was previously earmarked for a Miller & Carter steakhouse.

But little work has taken place since, with several concrete blocks and a blue gated hoarding in place at the entrance to the site.

Despite this, Aldi says the store is “very much still on the cards” and will now open in 2026.

It previously said its scheme would create 50 new jobs, and had hoped to open the store in mid-2025 amid concerns from residents over increased traffic.

The same number of staff are due to be employed at the Waterbrook Park store - close to A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road - but Aldi has confirmed it will miss its opening target of mid-2025.

Bosses say they are now “looking to open the store by the end of this year”.

Plans for the supermarket were approved in 2022 but contractors faced a two-year delay.

A condition imposed by ABC meant work could not start until progress was made on a separate convenience store on the nearby Finberry housing estate.

That store is still yet to be built, but the condition was lifted last year following talks with the authority.

Both agreed on a deed of modification - a legal document that allows parties to amend terms of Section 106 legal obligations, a developer contribution designed to offset the effect of building new schemes.

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Pictures taken recently show a digger and several materials on the Aldi site, which will be constructed next to a yet-to-be-built Taco Bell drive-thru and Ashford’s fourth KFC.

A David Lloyd health club is also set to open on land opposite, filling a spot previously earmarked for an Amazon warehouse.

Aldi opened its first store in Ashford in Victoria Road in 2018 following two years of development.

KentOnline asked why the chain is facing delays with both of its new supermarkets, but did not receive a response.