How long might it take until Biddulph's upcoming Aldi store is completed and ready to welcome customers through its doors?

As you probably know by now, a planning application to build an Aldi supermarket in Biddulph has been approved, meaning the green light has now been given for construction of the store to begin.

Biddulph Nub News reported last week how Staffordshire Moorlands District Councillors voted to approve the application at the latest meeting of their planning committee.

Following the application's approval, the obvious question that remains is how long the construction of the store is expected to take.

Biddulph Nub News contacted Aldi last week to ask when the supermarket could be opening, but did not receive a response.

However, Biddulph's mayor, Cllr John Jones, was able to provide some more insight on the topic at a meeting of the town council's Planning Committee held last night (Tuesday).

He explained that Aldi are "fully expecting" to get the store open before the end of the year, in the hopes of having customers through the doors in time for the busy Christmas period.

Cllr Jones, who also spoke in favour of the application at last week's district council planning meeting, said: "It's all looking fairly positive. The approval has gone through and I'm hoping that as soon as the weather picks up they will make a start.

"From the conversation I had with [Aldi's property director] George Brown, they're fully expecting to get it open this year, and I'm sure they will want to have it open for Christmas, if not before, because these things tend to get built quite quickly."

He also discussed the previous delays to the application's approval, adding: "It was approved a bit later than we expected, and I know some people think we dragged our feet on this but I don't think we did. You could say that they did over in Leek, but I don't think they did.

"I'm pleased that it's done. Let's get the store built and it will be good for Biddulph."

The supermarket will be located at the site of the former Meadows Special School off Tunstall Road.