The long wait for a new Aldi supermarket in Balsall Common could come to an end next year, an update from a local councillor has revealed.

Taking to social media, Cllr Richard Drake told locals a meeting had been held with Berkswell and Balsall Parish councillors and the Aldi property director.

Supermarket giant Aldi has applied for planning permission to build a new unit on the west side of Kenilworth Road, while competitor Lidl has applied to build its own store on the opposite side of the road.

At the recent meeting members looked through the latest plans and discussed "a number of issues...including traffic concerns and solar panels".

"There are a number of challenges for them to overcome to get planning permission in the green belt," he wrote.

"They indicated that if they do get permission in September then it is likely that a new store would be completed in 2025.

"This was a useful meeting for both sides."

No update was given on the Lidl scheme.

Lidl has applied to open a store on the opposite side of the road to Aldi (image via Lidl)

Nub News reported last year, the Aldi and Lidl schemes - one of which will see a car garage demolished to make way - would not be determined until the new local plan is adopted.

This was despite the fact both applications were submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) in December 2021.

While the long-winded process to adopt the local plan continues, Nub News was told in March by the council a decision on the applications "should be made in the summer of 2024".

SMBC did not say whether the decision would be made on delegated authority or by councillors in a committee meeting.

However, the projects are further complicated by how close the two proposed stores are to each other.

SMBC planners have previously told both supermarkets to consider the impact of the other and create a "cumulative traffic assessment".