BUDGET supermarket chain Aldi looks set to bring a new store to a North Yorkshire town after a land sale has gone ahead.

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has confirmed the sale of the site housing Selby’s former police station to Aldi has now been completed.

The old police station in Portholme Road will be demolished to make way for the new store.

Aldi said the new 1,900 square metre store, with a 102-space car park, would replace the existing “outdated” store at Three Lakes retail park to the south.

Selby District Council gave the plans the go-ahead back in July after members of the public who wrote in were overwhelmingly in favour of the new store.

The Portholme Road base has been vacant since the town’s North Yorkshire Police team moved to Selby Civic Centre on Doncaster Road since 2019 and the conveyancing process has now concluded.

Former Commissioner Julia Mulligan agreed to the co-location with Selby District Council in 2015 as part of the efforts to invest in people not property and provide improved accessibility for the public, modern facilities for officers and staff, and reduce the overall running cost of the estate.

Then, it was estimated there would be a saving over a 30-year term of £3.6million.

Current Commissioner, Zoë Metcalfe, said: “It is now three years since police officers and staff moved to their new base at Selby Civic Centre which has improved access to officers and staff thanks to the investment in technology that also allows them to be more visible on our streets and in our communities.

“Our efforts to work collaboratively with other public organisations, invest in frontline policing and put the focus on people not premises will continue, and the sale of the Portholme Road site is another important milestone, saving taxpayers’ money while improving the service offered by North Yorkshire Police.”

York Press: Commissioner Zoë MetcalfeCommissioner Zoë Metcalfe

The proposed opening hours are from 8am-10pm on Monday to Saturday, and from 10am-4pm on Sunday. The delivery hours will be from 6am to 11pm on Monday to Saturday.

Members of the public in support of the store said it would be more accessible as it is closer to the town centre and would allow more people to get there on foot.

Aldi agreed to contribute £125,000 towards a council study aimed at reducing congestion and boosting air quality.