Work on a long-awaited Aldi supermarket is set to finally begin after a “frustrating” planning dispute was finally resolved.

The German chain gained permission in November 2022 to open a store on Waterbrook Park in Sevington, Ashford.

But a condition imposed by Ashford Borough Council (ABC) meant contractors could not start work until progress was made on a separate convenience store on the nearby Finberry housing estate.

Last year, Aldi launched a petition calling on shoppers to lobby ABC over the measure.

But now the discount giant says construction can begin as the condition has been lifted following talks with the authority.

Both have 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.

An Aldi spokesman said: “We have worked closely with ABC and, with its assistance, can confirm the development of our store is no longer tied to the development of the local district store in Finberry.

“We hope to begin construction of our new Waterbrook Park store soon.”

Outline planning permission for the new shop in Finberry, alongside 63 homes and other commercial units, was approved by ABC in February.

The development is earmarked to go near Bullfinch Avenue on land owned by Cedarvale and C.C Projects, which also owns the Aldi site on Waterbrook.

An ABC spokesman said: “Cedarvale and C.C Projects approached us to amend the section 106 legal agreement for the Waterbrook development so Aldi could commence the construction of the approved scheme on its land before the delivery of a ‘local shop’ at the nearby Finberry development (which is also in the same land ownership).

“Outline planning permission was granted by the council in early 2024 for the development of a local centre at Finberry.

“Taking into account the issue of that outline permission, and as well as noting the landowner had subsequently selected a commercial development partner to enable a detailed application for a local shop as part of the proposed Finberry local centre to be progressed and submitted, we concluded that overall planning benefits would arise by agreeing to the landowner’s request to remove the section 106 agreement restrictions on the commencement of construction of the Aldi store at Waterbrook.

“A deed of modification was therefore agreed.

“The council is working proactively with the landowner and its selected development partner to pave the way for a detailed application to be submitted for the Finberry local centre in the near future.”

Aldi is just one of many developments looking to move into Waterbrook Park, which sits off A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road.

Plans for a new Taco Bell drive-thru and Ashford’s fourth KFC were approved in May, while a David Lloyd health club is set to be built on land opposite.

The site, which is set to feature three tennis courts and four swimming pools, will be built on a site previously earmarked for a huge Amazon warehouse.

Meanwhile, Mulberry Homes and GSE have been given permission to build 144 properties on the former Ashford International Truckstop site.

They will make up the first phase of a wider 364-home development earmarked for the area.

On the other side of Ashford, Aldi also has permission to build a store on Kennington, between the Holiday Inn hotel on A28 Canterbury Road and the M20.

Contractors were seen clearing the site last week, but opponents fear the store, which is set to open in mid-2025, could cause gridlock on the already congested A28.

The scheme was unanimously approved by ABC’s planning committee in March, with Aldi saying a number of highway improvements will be introduced, including traffic lights at a new access point close to the M20 bridge.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

Signals will also be brought in at the junction with Cemetery Lane, which leads to Longacres Bybrook Barn, creating a staggered crossroads.

Aldi, which bought the Kennington plot in late 2019, opened its first store in Ashford in Victoria Road in 2018.