A new supermarket war could be set to explode in Dundee, with plans by discounter Aldi for a new multi-million- pound store adjacent to a controversy hit Asda outlet.
The German retailer will reveal detailed plans for a new modern food store at Myrekirk during a public consultation event at Charleston Community Centre on March 31.
The new store, which would increase the firm’s portfolio in the city to three shops, is earmarked for vacant development land on the former NCR cash machine factory site next to Asda’s Dundee West superstore.
Aldi’s plan also includes car parking provisions and landscaping.
It plans to take soundings in the local community before moving to the stage of lodging a formal planning application for the development with Dundee City Council.
It is understood a new store would support around 30 full-time equivalent retail jobs, as well as providing a significant boost to the local construction trade during the build phase of the project.
Graham Nicolson, property director for Aldi Stores, said: “The Aldi brand is very popular with Dundee shoppers, and we would now like to bring a third store to Dundee to serve the west of the city.
“Before submitting an application to Dundee City Council we will be consulting with the local community, and hope as many local shoppers as possible come along to our public exhibition.”
Aldi’s new store plan could reignite a simmering feud over supermarket provision in the west end of the city after Tesco tried to block Asda’s bid to build at Myrekirk.
The group was granted permissions by Dundee City Council in 2010 to build a new £24 million outlet.
However, Tesco, which operates an Extra superstore around a mile away on South Road, launched a legal challenge to the development.
The supermarket group alleged the local authority had erred by failing to follow its own planning policy in allowing the development.
Tesco took the case to the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland.
However, it lost.
It decided to appeal, and the fight eventually went to the UK Supreme Court in London where its application was again dismissed.
Asda eventually opened the doors to its new superstore in July 2013, creating more than 300 new retail jobs in the process.