CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a third supermarket in Ramsbottom are being reconsidered by planning bosses.

Aldi has submitted revised proposals to build a store on land in Railway Street after the original application was rejected by Bury Council’s planning committee in August.

It was decided that the design, appearance and materials for the proposed development were detrimental to the conservation of the town’s character. But the discount supermarket has worked with planning officials to come up with a new design for the development. The amended plans were presented during a public consultation at Ramsbottom Civic Hall last week and are likely to go before the committee by the end of the year.

Janet Hodgson, who owns the Flower Gallery in Bridge Street, initially raised a petition signed by 300 people objecting to the development.

At the meeting in August, Mrs Hodgson claimed a new supermarket would create problems for small businesses in the town, which already has a Tesco and a Co-op.

This week she told Bury Times: “It’s even more important to stop the application this time around because businesses have already had to close in Ramsbottom. It doesn’t matter how fancy the store is, it’s still another supermarket that we don’t need.”

The florist, who has recently broken her leg, is urging residents to come forward with their objections.

“I can’t get out and about at the moment to rally the troops. The public can’t just talk about it, they need to object again and again because this will not benefit our town.”

The company say the store would create up to 15 new jobs for the town and provide a wider variety of products.

Aldi property director, Mike Clark, is confident that the latest application will be given the go-ahead.

He said: “Aldi can offer greater choice for shoppers with products and prices that are not currently available in the town. We have worked very hard with the local authority to agree a design that everybody feels is suitable for the area and we are confident that we have done everything the council has asked.”

The firm say that under new plans the development would use a large amount of natural stone that is in keeping with the area.

The site is currently used for TNT offices and connecting car park but the plans propose a single storey food store with a car park for 93 spaces and a separate smaller unit that will be available for commercial use by another business.