A council has voted to support an Aldi supermarket opening in Winnersh after originally not approving the plans.
A government minister is to make a decision on whether the supermarket chain can open a new store on Gazelle Close next month.
Wokingham Borough Council has changed its support for the scheme three times after a series of changes in evidence.
Despite originally approving the plans in 2023, the council later pulled this support based on new evidence from the Environment Agency.
The agency had objected and said it would be at risk if the nearby River Loddon overflows.
Wokingham Borough Council now says the plans should be approved after being presented with a new mitigation plan from the applicant.
This is before a secretary of state is going to make a final decision after calling in the application.
But new information presented by the applicant forced an extraordinary planning committee meeting before the inquiry will take place.
At a meeting on April 30, planning officers said there is ‘no evidence’ of a flood risk, as the applicant has now demonstrated how it will prevent this.
A revised drainage scheme has been assessed by an independent consultant appointed by the council.
Mitigations include increased storage capacity to address combined flood scenarios and sequential operation of drainage systems.
The report continued: “On this basis, the council’s independent drainage consultant and officers agree that the council’s previous basis for objecting to the scheme have fallen away.”
Speaking to the extraordinary committee meeting on April 30, planning officer Mark Croucher said there had been ‘extensive discussions’ between the council and applicant.
Members of the committee voted to change the council’s stance on the issue before it is taken to inquiry.
This does not form full approval, and the final decision will still be taken by the government on evidence of an independent inspector.
It ‘constitutionally correct’ that the committee reconsiders its position based on the new information.
Councillor Wayne Smith asked why the application had been called in for an inquiry.
Officer Mark Croucher said they were ‘quite surprised’ at the call in request ‘considering the applications they would have on their books’.
“But essentially it was the flood risks they were concerned about,” Mr Crouther continued.
The inquiry is set to take place on May 13 and will be led by Alison Dyer.
An inquiry had been expected to start in August, but it was delayed.
