Discount supermarket Aldi has warned it will pull out of Sheppey altogether if councillors refuse to let it build a new flagship store at an out-of-town retail park.

The chain wants to close its existing store in the centre of Sheerness and open a bigger, more modern store at Neats Court in Queenborough.

But Swale council's planning officer Paul Gregory has recommended refusal saying closing the current shop will have a detrimental effect on the town.

Aldi has already said the existing 1.2-acre site between Pepys Avenue and Millennium Way is too small and has agreed to sell the plot to Home Bargains.

In an unusual move, the store has emailed some residents stressing: "Regardless of the outcome, our store in Pepys Avenue will be closing. The small size of the site, especially for parking, means it is simply unviable for us to continue operating here.

"It is crucial that planning committee members understand that this application is for Sheppey residents to continue to have access to the UK's cheapest supermarket in a large, more modern store."

In the email, it has appealed for supporters to lobby all 16 members of the planning committee and included their email addresses. There is also an online database where supporters can leave their names so they can be kept up to date with developments.

The new £9million complex on 2.2 acres off the A249 Brielle Way opposite the Queenborough retail park would be a third larger than the existing premises with 59 (79%) extra parking spaces, new cycle and pedestrian links and 20 extra jobs on top of the 30 Sheerness ones which would be saved.

It has already won support from some Islanders such as Ted Fairbrass of Warden, who said the Neats Court site would take congestion away from the town centre and make it easier for delivery lorries.

He said: "There are good bus routes, plenty of parking spaces and many more shopping facilities within the area. Now Aldi is getting larger, this will help the community. I have lived on the Island many years and I think this is a good idea."

Craig Blackstock, of Queensway, said: "I and my family wholeheartedly support Aldi's proposal for new premises at Queenborough. We feel a new larger site offering an improved range of products with easy access and more parking can only be a winner."

Lesley Caddick from Beach Approach, Warden, added: "We regularly shop at Aldi. Having this store at Neats Court will be easier access for people. It will be larger so it will be able to stock more items and provide more much-needed jobs. Please grant this application."

Diane Riley of Broad Street, Sheerness, said: "I love Aldi but as a disabled pensioner who cannot walk far I wish they would keep the Sheerness store open as well. The bus service on the Island is no good for disabled people and those who do not drive."

But Sarah Crouch of Unity Street, Sheerness, objected. She said: "Relocating the Aldi store would be detrimental to the economy of Sheerness. A lot of elderly people, people without cars and parents with young kids who walk to the current store will have to rely on Tesco whose prices are a lot more expensive.

"People who use Aldi also walk into town and use the local cafes and shops. Building another one and closing down the Sheerness store will financially hit Sheerness and the community spirit."

Aldi first began talks with Swale council about a new store in 2017 and submitted plans in June 2019 claiming its 15-year-old branch in Sheerness was "no longer fit for purpose".

It was given the go-ahead in November 2020 and construction was about to start when rival Tesco had the permission quashed in the High Court the following October. By then, Aldi had already put its Sheerness store on the market for £2 million.

The original planning permission, which had also been opposed by Morrisons, was challenged on three counts.

Tesco claimed there was not enough consideration given to the impact on Sheerness town centre, that the decision was “procedurally incorrect” as there had been no screening to determine if an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was needed. It added there were inconsistencies in the planning committee’s decision-making.

Aldi maintained an EIA was not needed as the new site is allocated for large-scale employment use in the borough’s Local Plan.

The firm said it had investigated other alternative sites but none met its criteria. It already has a regional distribution centre at Neats Court.

A spokesman for Aldi said: "We are incredibly disappointed by the officer recommendation to refuse our proposals for the relocation of our Sheerness store. Our Sheerness store is no longer fit for purpose and will close.

"Our relocation proposals ensure our continued presence on the Island, protection of jobs and represent a significant investment in Sheppey.

"Now, more than ever, it is important that we continue to deliver the best possible value for families and Sheppey is no exception.

"We hope that planning committee members will support our proposals."

Rival Lidl has submitted plans to build its own supermarket just a stone's throw away next to the Cowstead Corner roundabout.

The crunch planning committee meeting is at The Appleyard, Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne tomorrow at 7pm and will be streamed live on MS Teams via the council's website.

The planning reference is 19/502969/FULL.