A £15,000 sweetener towards planting new trees has been offered by Aldi in its bid to gain planning permission for a new store in Deal.

The German supermarket chain which plans to take over The Co-op in Park Street has faced some opposition from residents over its proposal to fell existing trees, particularly four mature specimens.

In a letter sent to officer Lucinda Roach at Dover District Council, representatives Planning Potential says the discount supermarket's scheme is "simply not viable" without such measures.

Retaining these trees, they say, would not allow a satisfactory level of car parking which is key to Aldi being competitive in the food market.

They have therefore offered a £15,000 contribution to planting new trees off-site in addition to replacing the old trees on-site.

An Aldi spokeswoman said: “Almost everyone we have spoken to in Deal is keen for the store to open quickly – in fact 93% of respondents to the pre-application consultation stated support for the planning application.

“We recognise that there is concern over the loss of trees on site and have always taken this seriously.

“Following comments from local people and council officers, we reconsidered the plans and have made revisions to the site layout so that an additional tree can be retained.

"Unfortunately we can’t keep any further trees, as they occupy central positions, are not suitable for this area, and also would not achieved our required parking requirements.

“We have already committed to offsetting the loss of some trees by the planting of 12 trees, which will have the correct infrastructure to allow them to successfully establish in a car park, unlike the existing species. In addition, we have now confirmed we will make a significant financial contribution towards off-site tree planting in Deal town centre, which overall represents a net gain in planting.

“Whilst we understand concerns over the trees, unfortunately we are unable to retain any more, but believe that overall the benefits of the Aldi proposals will more than offset the loss of trees.

"The reduced scale of the building, high quality design and landscaping plans will enhance the Conservation Area and an Aldi store will provide more shopping choice, jobs and footfall in the town centre, which so many want to see."

The £15,000 figure offer derives from the cost of providing the underground infrastructure to support the planting of three new semi mature trees.

Objectors have accepted it is a step in the right direction, but say they will still not give up on their petition to save the trees which has 90 signatures.

Sarah Gleave said: "It is cynical to offer to plant mature trees elsewhere in the town in compensation on land you don't own, land which may never be found.

"The residents of our town need mature trees of 80 to 150 years of age to help reduce the air pollution, to reduce the noise of the overwhelming traffic congestion, so that we continue to see birdlife, bats, insects in our town and because they are beautiful."

Tree warden Simon Philips says the campaigners will still speak out in objection when the matter goes before planners next month.