A bid to build a supermarket on the Beehive Roundabout is back before Bolton Council after a decision was delayed.

Aldi applied for planning permission for an area at the junction of Chorley New Road and De Havilland Way in 2022.

The same year The Bolton News reported the bid to build the supermarket was on the back burner because of a million-pound application by the council to the Department of Levelling Up for work on De Havilland Way. This multi-million-pound application by the council was unsuccessful last year.

It was back before the council over the summer but a decision was delayed due to opposition from Lidl and from Tesco.

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Aldi said the opposition from the rival retailers was "clearly commercially motivated" and it said it wanted a right of reply.

The recommendation is to approve the application for planning permission when the Planning Committee is at the town hall next week.

(Image: Aldi) A report said: "It is considered the development complies with the development plan. 

"Therefore, the application is recommended for approval, subject to a unilateral undertaking which the applicant will submit to the council in due course regarding Biodiversity Net Gain."

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Previously David Grant, leader of Horwich and Blackrod First, said: "There was a £20m bid a number of years ago to improve the Beehive Roundabout and in the report it said the roundabout was at capacity. 

"This report to the Planning Committee says it will not have an adverse impact on the traffic which is absolute nonsense in my opinion. If you build the supermarket then people are going to go to the supermarket."

Cllr Grant said: "They mention the impact on Horwich town centre but they do not mention the impact on Blackrod town centre.

"It is a small town centre but there are two butchers, there are a number of convenience stores, and these could be impacted too."

The Planning Committee is at the town hall next week.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.