Supermarket chain Aldi has faced fierce criticism from local councillors over what they describe as a 'dangerous' proposed pedestrian access at its store in Leamington Spa. Members of Warwick District Council's planning committee have unanimously voted to delay a decision on the application, citing significant safety concerns for shoppers on foot.
Council Unanimous in Safety Concerns
The controversy centres on Aldi's bid to open a currently delivery-only entrance on Queensway to general customer traffic. The original planning conditions for the Tachbrook Park Drive store stipulated that shoppers should only access the site from a roundabout further along the road, which also serves the Leamington Shopping Park opposite.
Since the store opened, a painted 1.5-metre-wide walkway has been proposed behind parking bays on the private land, which vehicles would cross when entering or exiting. Warwickshire County Council's highways authority suggested this path should be protected and located elsewhere but did not formally object as it is not on public highway land.
'Expecting People to Step into Traffic'
Speaking in strong opposition, Councillor Jonathan Chilvers (Green, Leamington Brunswick) laid out the perceived dangers. "They are expecting pedestrians to turn the corner and step off the pavement into the road with cars coming in from behind people," he stated.
"You are expected to walk along this footway, which is literally tramlines painted onto the road, and along the back of cars which may well be reversing out. You might be going through there with a pushchair. To me that is really dangerous," Cllr Chilvers added, criticising Aldi for seemingly wanting "people to step into the traffic."
Councillor Hema Yellapragada (Green, Warwick Myton & Heathcote) supported this view, drawing on her own observations: "I remember when there was no barrier and cars went through. Pedestrians found it very hard... If you have young children, a pram or you are in a mobility scooter it would be even harder."
Cross-Party Agreement and Deferred Decision
Concerns were echoed across the political spectrum. Councillor Peter Phillips (Con, Budbrooke) compared the proposal to poor industrial health and safety practices, stating he was "astonished" Aldi's own teams had not identified the issue.
Further worries were raised about delivery lorries using the same route and the potential for motorists to use the car park as a shortcut to avoid the Europa Way roundabout at peak times.
Faced with unanimous committee reluctance to follow the planning officers' recommendation for approval, the council's legal advisor, Nigel Bell, noted that refusing on safety grounds would be an "uphill struggle" without highways authority objection, but was a possibility with specialist support.
Consequently, Councillor Bill Gifford (Lib Dem, Leamington Milverton) proposed, and the committee agreed, to defer the decision. The move will allow for an independent transport specialist to be commissioned to assess the safety concerns. As Cllr Phillips added, it also gives Aldi time to consider the "reputational risk" of pursuing the current plan.
The planning committee's vote to postpone took place on January 18, 2026, with a final decision now pending further expert analysis.
