I’m also assuming these really are power generators, and not something similar e.g. refrigerated containers to provide extra cold storage (Waitrose Beckenham had one in their carpark around Christmas, and it had a compressor humming away…). I’ve not been round to look at them yet, but from what @Foresthillnick says there might not be too much to see.
If it is for power, I guess Travis Perkins opening up on the gas holder site will only add to the problems.
No, but every little helps! 
They are probably aggrecko super silent genies. Probably brought in to cover the freezer power draw if the sub station can’t handle it.
Defo looks like they are playing ‘hide the generator’. I wonder if this is to alleviate just the noise to the residents at the back…?
Also there is a statement from Aldi in a related Tweet:
If the store runs off main electricity, what are the generators for? Perhaps they are backups due to unreliable mains supply and a large amount of refrigerated goods that could potentially perish in a power cut, but why run them all the time… it really doesn’t add up.
I think that is a silent generator. When I was working we did sometimes use silent generators, but they were certainly not silent, you get a hum from them.
I’m not going to pretend to understand the techie stuff, but Aldi had a planning application approved for the construction of a sub station.
Details here …
In addition to the sub station at the side of Aldi, the plans show a building towards the back of the store called “Arctic Circle Plant”. Presumably a freezer?
Sorry that I can’t work out how to post the plan but it can be viewed via the link.
That’s very interesting @marymck.
The store opened on October 3rd, after some delays.
The planning application you found for the new sub-station was made on the 28th of August 2019 (granted on 23rd October 2019).
The planning application for the store was made on 24th August 2018 (granted on 16th November 2018).
So basically this must just have been an oversight in the original plans resulting in the sub-station application almost exactly a year after the original store plans were submitted.
Unfortunately, to me, it looks like Aldi made a mistake, but rather than admitting that and delaying opening at their expense, they instead choose to put a temporary measure in place at the expense of the environment and local clean air - because that costs nothing to them.
There really should be legislation to prevent this sort of thing as many businesses, as shown by this case, really don’t automatically value the environment where income is at stake.
As for the future, I expect the generators will stay until the sub-station is built and commissioned with Aldi stalling until then.
Aldi:
Evidence suggests otherwise:
If the generator is provided by national grid to supplement power as required in order to maintain the mains voltage at site then I don’t see anything incorrect or wrong. The fact is that we do now know the facts, but people are jumping to conclusions to find fault.
No business that is connected to the grid would pay for generators unless they had to. The party in the wrong is National Grid not Aldi.
Sorry but I disagree.
Aldi are creating the demand for the electricity (via their store and customers), and presumably paying for power generation and supply. They are therefore responsible, perhaps indirectly, for how that power is generated and supplied - by whatever means.
Aldi know this because they are keen to describe their Corporate Responsibilities and approach - see https://www.aldi.co.uk/about-aldi/corporate-responsibility/environment/energy-and-transport-efficiency:
Unfortunately their keeness to open a new store seems to have trumped their own ‘corporate values’ and environmental responsibilities in this case, and the statement on their website seems hard to trust or believe.
I really don’t comprehend your disgust. Do you believe that all the electricity used by the store is being supplied by the diesel generators?
I would imagine that no store would want to run using a generator for cost and negative comment issues. So I would imagine it is a temporary issue.
The negative comment may help focus the minds of Aldi on this issue and ensure it is as temporary as possible.
This just in from Aldi:
They could have delayed the opening the store until main power was available.
I have literally no idea how the planning \ approval works for such instances, but it seems incredible in this day and age this is permitted. I’d understand if there was a temporary issue with the mains supply after they had opened and they need a short-term fix to stay open \ save the food from perishing, but this sounds like they knew their would be no mains supply and it appears no prospect of it anytime soon.
Well done on getting the reply whoever was involved in that.
As far as I can see there were only two Planning Applications relating to Aldi’s use of the site - the two applications referred to in earlier posts.
https://planning.lewisham.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=_LEWIS_DCAPR_101586
DC/19/113670 | Construction of new GRP electrical substation enclosure and associated concrete hard standing at UNIT 1 AND 2, BELL GREEN RETAIL PARK, BELL GREEN, SE26. | UNIT 1 AND 2, BELL GREEN RETAIL PARK, BELL GREEN, LONDON, SE26 4PR
And the earlier one, for the change of use …
DC/18/108701 | Change of Use of the vacant ‘Toys R Us’ (A1 Use Class Non-Food) to an Aldi (A1 Use Class Food) with alterations to the front and side elevations and the erection of a delivery pod to the rear, together with other ancillary alterations at units 1 and 2 Bell Green Retail Park, SE26. | UNIT 1 AND 2, BELL GREEN RETAIL PARK, BELL GREEN, LONDON, SE26 4PR
Whether there’s anything in the DC/18/10870 application documents that covers power, I don’t know. But there is a lengthy acoustic report, which as far as I can see didn’t anticipate an extra electrical sub-station. The acoustic report probably wouldn’t make a lot of sense now that so much has changed on the site.
There is further information here about the discharge of Conditions relating to Noise and Vibration. But again I don’t know if it anticipates the sub-station (lots of documents) …
DC/19/110968 | Details submitted in compliance of Condition 3 (Noise & Vibration) and Condition 4 (Cycle Parking) of the planning permission DC/18/108701 granted 16/11/2018 for the change of Use of the vacant ‘Toys R Us’ (A1 Use Class Non-Food) to an Aldi (A1 Use Class Food) with alterations to the front and side elevations and the erection of a delivery pod to the rear, together with other ancillary alterations at units 1 and 2 Bell Green Retail Park, SE26. | UNIT 1 AND 2, BELL GREEN RETAIL PARK, BELL GREEN, LONDON, SE26 4PR
The Lewisham Planning Case Officer for the first two links listed was Lewis Goodley. The Officer for the Conditions Discharge application was Joe Higgins. If either of them is still around they may be able to advise.
Or the original complainant could talk to her Ward Councillors:
cllr_jacq.paschoud@lewisham.gov.uk
CllrSue.Hordijenko@lewisham.gov.uk
Yep. It appears a standard response they are sending out now.
I’m finding it really hard to believe that a multinational like Aldi could purchase a site, refurbish and refit it, then stock it and open it - all before they’d sorted out power supply issues!
Either I’m being super naive, or Aldi have been very remiss in their planning - or there’s something that we still aren’t being told…
Did Toys R Us run on mains power ?
Probably but Aldi would have a much bigger load due to freezers and fridges.