Rebuilding of Tottenham Aldi - we think it should be greener

We welcome the proposed rebuilding of Aldi's supermarket - but say we should be making Tottenham a better, greener place, not just replacing like for like.

See the Tottenham and Wood Green Journal report - "Riot-hit supermarket should be greener when it is rebuilt."

The proposal to re-use the heat from the chilling plant on-site to heat the building is welcome - but we want to see better use made of the flat roof, with solar panels and a either natural habitat or a food-growing area.

Our group coordinator Quentin Given told local media:

"This is a great opportunity for the Council to put its policies into practice, and for Aldi's to demonstrate its environmental credentials. Let's see this new building as a real step into the future, not just an identikit retail shed. Marks and Spencer's in Muswell Hill has solar panels. Budgens in Crouch End is growing food on the roof. Tottenham's new Aldi store should at least have one of these, if not both."

In our detailed objection to Aldi's planning application, we said:

1. We welcome the redevelopment of the store as it provides a source of food and other household goods within easy walking distance for many Tottenham residents. However we believe that it is important that Tottenham is not just redeveloped as it was, but that this is done in a way that makes it a better place to live while reducing our environmental impacts. We believe that the following proposals are supported by Haringey's existing (UDP) and proposed (LDF) policies.

2. Energy. We welcome the proposal that the store should be heated exclusively by using heat from the refrigeration systems. However this is heat that has been recaptured on site, not renewably produced, unless Aldi purchases its electricity on a fully green tariff eg Good Energy or Ecotricity. Given that the store will have a large flat roof, we ask that it should include a large array of solar PV panels so that part of its electricity consumption is also renewably produced.

3. Biodiversity. Whatever roof area is not taken up by integrated solar PV panels should be a green roof. This would enhance rainwater capture and slow run-off rates; it would provide habitat for invertebrates and potentially for birds. Some of it could also be used for growing food, as the Budgen's supermarket in Crouch End is demonstrating.

4. Transport. We welcome the proposed provision of 8 cycle hoops. This should be additional to cycle parking for the redeveloped gym. The hoops should be near the front of the store in a well overlooked area and covered by CCTV to ensure security of bikes.