An Aldi supermarket in Ewell would either boost its struggling shops or kill them off according to residents and traders responding to a new attempt by the German budget chain to open in the village.

It aims to submit revised plans to the council at the end of next month and start building on Kingston Road near the junction of Ruxley Lane in early 2014.

Aldi is currently distributing 1,400 leaflets seeking views on plans for a "modestly sized" 840 sq m store with eight flats and a 62-space car park.

Councillor Pamela Bradley, who lives in Ewell Village, welcomed plans for an Aldi and said she would probably shop there herself.

Coun Bradley said: "It would be very, very useful for people who live there because quite frankly there’s nothing there. I don’t know how they manage to shop."

Coun Bradley said there were only little shops nearby and people had to get on a bus to go shopping elsewhere.

Of Aldi, she said: "It’s a nice shop rather like Lidl. It would liven up the area."

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A store manager at Londis in Kingston Road said they received leaflets about the plans a few days ago.

He said: "My personal point of view is it should bring more footfall into the area but from a competition point of view it could take trade away from us and retailers in the surrounding area.

"We don’t know how it will affect everybody because it’s not like a chain like Tesco or Sainsbury’s."

Mr S Patel, owner of the Londis store in Market Parade, said another supermarket should not be allowed to open after his business was badly hit by Sainsbury’s.

He said: "They are killing the small shops around here. We are not even surviving, we are dying. All three newsagents here are up for sale."

He said they had no advance notice of Sainbury’s moving in, adding: "I would have left the day I knew they were opening because I know the effect on shops."

Aldi's original plans for the site were rejected in 2006 and revised plans were rejected again in 2007 following stiff opposition from neighbouring residents and businesses.

But in 2009 it won a planning appeal for a scheme with nine flats which used the slip-road and Pinewood Place for access.

Since then the site has been empty, but Aldi has bought up two adjacent houses and now proposes to have in and out access onto Kingston Road near the junction with Ruxley Lane.

Back in 2007 MP Chris Grayling said: "If you put a supermarket in a place like that you will kill off all the local shops. We are not badly served for supermarkets."

But this morning Mr Grayling said: “I’m doubtful about the need for another supermarket in the area and worried about the impact on shops in Ruxley Lane.

“I would take some persuading that it is a good idea.”

Last week Aldi property director Roland Stanley said: "We are looking to promote an improved development with a safer and, we hope, a more locally acceptable highway access off the Kingston Road.

"We are delighted to be able to commit to this improved access, as well as the considerable other benefits including a shared shopper car park and enhancing the attractiveness of the local shopping centre."

What do you think of Aldi's plans?

Email aldikingstonroad@planningpotential.co.uk

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