Tesco is going head to head with competitor Aldi in three places in an supermarket war.
Britain's biggest supermarket chain is taking legal action against the construction of two new Aldi stores in March, Cambridgeshire and Perth, Scotland - and is objecting to a third one in Diss, Norfolk.
In March, Aldi was granted planning permission for the store on Hostmoor Avenue, March last year. It will sit less than 100 yards opposite a rival Tesco superstore, reports MailOnline.
However, Tesco objected to the plans citing concerns over traffic impact, road safety and the safety of pedestrians.
Aldi and Tesco are reported to be battling it out over the locations
PA
A legal challenge has now been launched by Tesco against the decision after Fenland District Council granted planning permission for the store.
A Fenland District Council spokesperson said: "There is no third party right of appeal so Tesco cannot appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. They have, however, indicated that they will be submitting a legal challenge to the decision to grant permission that will be a matter to be determined through the courts."
Managing director of Aldi UK's National Real Estate department Jonathan Neale said in March: "It's no surprise that the full-price supermarkets don't want us bringing our unbeatable value and award-winning quality to shoppers but our commitment to this store is unwavering."
Meanwhile, in Diss, the German budget discount chain is looking to open a new store on Park Road, around 0.5 miles away from the town's Tesco.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The Tesco in Diss, Norfolk
Google Maps
Aldi wants to move to a bigger location as its lease on its current Diss store in Mere Street, is due to expire next year. A council planning policy for the planned site, which says it should not be used for food retail was met with objections by Tesco.
South Norfolk Council planning officers have recommended the scheme be approved and it will be considered by councillors on the local planning committee in the coming weeks.
A planning report said: "It is considered that the food store will have acceptable impacts on the character and appearance of the area, heritage assets, residential amenity, highway safety, trees, ecology, drainage and flood risk.
"When having regard to these, the application ultimately represents an acceptable form of development that complies with national planning guidance and the adopted and emerging development plan when taken as a whole."
Construction work has halted on a new store off Necessity Brae, Perth
Google Maps
Meanwhile, construction work has halted on a new store off Necessity Brae in Perth after it was given planning permission in June 2022.
In an objection to Perth and Kinross Council, Tesco had claimed the new store was in "irrefutable and harmful conflict" with the local development plan. Aldi also has another store on Ruthvenfield Road in the northern part of the city.
Meanwhile, Tesco has two large supermarkets within three miles of the new Aldi store on Edinburgh Rd in the south of the city, Crieff Rd in the east and an Express store in the city centre. An Aldi spokesperson said of the Perth supermarket: "The planning permission for this site is currently under review, and we are awaiting an outcome."
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: "Tesco sought a judicial review in the Court of Session after the council, as the planning authority, granted planning permission for a store on May 31 2023. A hearing took place in November and we are awaiting the judgement."