The green light has been given for Aldi to move into the former Co-op store in Seaton.

Planning permission has been approved by East Devon District Council to convert the Co-op store in the Underfleet and convert it into a new Aldi store. The new store will create around 40 new jobs, as well as temporary construction jobs. Former co-op employees will be offered a new job at the new Aldi store. Plans for the site include a new ‘green provision’ with staff cycle racks and electric charging points built in the car park. The plans were approved by East Devon District Council with 12 conditions on the application which included that the building must be completed within three years of the planning application being approved. The building work can only be completed between 7 pm and 11 pm and the noise on site must not exceed 50 decibels, so not to disturb the neighbours. Aldi are also going to extend the building in Underfleet to include alterations to the landscaping and renovate and extend the store. There will be 118 customer car parking spaces, including six for disabled users and six for parent and child designated spaces as well as designated electric charging points. There will also be four cycle hoops for up to eight bikes.

The building alterations will allow the shop floor to be expanded with a new entrance building or lobby being introduced to make the store look more like a traditional Aldi store. The nearest Aldi store at the moment is in Honiton. The building is currently empty, Co-op moved out in July and now planning permission has been granted to Aldi, they plan to make a start in early 2023. An Aldi spokesman said: "We have reached an agreement with Co-op to acquire their Seaton store and anticipate this will reopen as an Aldi store early next year.

"This acquisition is part of our long-term strategy to bring Aldi’s unbeatable value to even more customers across the UK.”