Work on a discount supermarket has begun.

Aldi’s roof in East Street, Sittingbourne is receiving a makeover.

Scaffolding has been put up and roofing supplies are being stored in the car park behind metal fencing while the work takes place.

The maintenance is expected to go on until early October but the store remains open.

It was believed that this could be the start of the long-awaited multi-million pound revamp of the store.

KentOnline was told in 2021 that the store would close in early 2022 for the work to be carried out, however it never started.

Plans for the demolition of the 20-year-old branch which would be replaced with a new larger store have been approved on two separate occasions by Swale council.

The windows would have been on the front and side while grey metallic cladding would be used in other areas. Wider aisles that could hold more products were also featured in the proposals.

The rebuild of the store would have included additional car parking spaces taking the total up to 113 spaces, including five disabled bays, five staff spaces and 10 parent and child bays. It currently has 75 spaces.

Bosses of the German-owned business told councillors they wanted to wait until their new store at Neats Court, Queenborough, was open so Sittingbourne shoppers would have a nearby alternative to use during construction.

However, despite being approved by the council, the permission expired in March this year for the 2019 plans.

A similar application was approved in 2018 but permission ran out in December 2021.