A NEW supermarket could be on its way to a town.

German budget supermarket chain Aldi has bought land in Wyre Street, in Padiham, currently occupied by the Padiwacks nursery.

The news emerged after the owners of Padiwacks submitted plans to Burnley Council for a change of use at the Wrights Upholstery unit in Claremont Street, Burnley, into a new nursery.

The applicants said the Cornell Group has acquired the land on behalf of Aldi.

If Aldi was to go ahead and build a new supermarket, it would be the latest to come to Padiham since Tesco opened its stores on the same street in 2012.

Cllr Alan Hosker, who represents Hapton with Park on Burnley Council, welcomed the news and said it would be a ‘huge benefit to the town’.

He said: “A new supermarket would be a good thing for the town.

“It will create much needed jobs and boost the economy.

“Competition is a good thing and a new supermarket will create more competition.

“This would be of huge benefit to the town.”

Planning documents submitted by Padiwacks said: “We would be carrying out childcare caring for children aged from birth to 11 years of age.

“We would be using our existing staff once the building is knocked down on Wyre Street following the acquisition by the Cornell Group on behalf of Aldi stores.

“We will be expecting children to be transferring to Claremont Street nursery.

A spokesman for Aldi said it was ‘always on the lookout for new sites.’

An Aldi spokesman said: “We are always on the lookout for new sites, including in areas across Lancashire. Whenever we can confirm a new site we will update the local community.”

According to industry body IGD, Aldi, Lidl and other discount firms including Poundland, are expected to almost double their UK sales to £21.4bn within the next five years.

Some commentators believe the their share of the market could rise to as much as 20 per cent – making them the equal of Asda and Sainsbury’s today.

It comes after Aldi opened its new New Hall Hey store in Rawtenstall in September last year.

Bosses at the new store said they had received ‘great feedback’ from customers who have been checking out the shop’s bargains.