A Dorset woman has found herself stranded in an impossible situation after the Aldi was forced to pause its demolition of her home following protests from local residents and councillors.
Joanne, who has lived at Railway Cottage in Canford Bottom for many years, had accepted an offer from the retailer to purchase her property, which sits just metres from their planned new store.
The company intended to knock down the cottage to create an expanded entrance to the site.
However, concerns about the building's heritage value have brought proceedings to an abrupt halt, leaving Joanne caught between her old life and an uncertain future.
Her daughter Samantha described the development as completely unexpected.
"The news came out of the blue, it was a shock and surprise," she told the Bournemouth Daily Echo.
Joanne had packed up her entire home and was prepared to leave on Monday when the plans were suddenly suspended.
Neither she nor her daughter had been contacted about the objections being raised.
Aldi intended to knock down Railway Cottage to create an expanded entrance to the site
|GOOGLE STREET VIEW
"I just want to get my mother out of this situation," Samantha said. "You don't know how long this period of limbo will last."
The family has been unable to obtain clarity on timelines, as the supermarket's legal representatives are currently unavailable.
The objections centre on Railway Cottage's historical significance as the former residence of a level crossing supervisor.
Local resident Hilary Pascall submitted what was described as a "strong" objection to Dorset Council against demolishing what she called a "perfectly good property".
Aldi is intending to open a store in Canford Botton, Dorset
|ALDI
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"This lovely cottage is part of the history of Canford Bottom and it would be a travesty to knock it down," Ms Pascall wrote.
Colehill Town Council has backed these concerns, expressing that it would be "saddened" by the loss of the "historic" building and supporting its inclusion on the designated heritage list.
Samantha noted that the cottage had undergone extensive internal and external renovations, with previous owners never facing such challenges.
Railway Cottage no longer feels like a home to Joanne, with her belongings packed into boxes throughout the property.
She cannot access her garden or even open her windows and doors due to the dust and noise from the adjacent construction work.
"It doesn't make sense to remain, to find yourself living on a construction site," Joanne said. "I do not think any human being in this day and age would want to be living like this."
On Monday morning, she counted a dozen lorries passing through the supermarket entrance.
Her post and parcels have already been redirected in anticipation of a move that remains indefinitely postponed.
"No one knows what I'm going through and it's such a big impact on my life," she added.
GB News has approached Aldi for comment.