An Aldi supermarket for Whittlesey looks assured after a stream of highway objections melted away.

Fifteen months after Aldi expected permission to be given, that decision is now expected within weeks.

Fenland District Council may even convene a special meeting of its planning committee to speed up the process.

Cambridgeshire County Council highways officials had appeared to stall the application with a stream of requirements that sources close to the project said could scupper it.

These included a suggestion as recently as February that developers must stump up vast sums to improve the Syers Lane roundabout.

The cost – and delay- threatened not only 203 homes planned for a site off Eastrea Road but the associated delivery of an Aldi supermarket.

But newly released reports from the county council suggest most –if not all – stumbling blocks have been removed.

The county council says Aldi’s proposals walking, cycling and public transport access proposals are agreed.

Evidence from Aldi on likely traffic has been accepted and “the methodology used to determine vehicular trip generation for the development is agreed”.

And the council says “the proposed site access junction is anticipated to operate within capacity under all future year scenarios.

“The A605 Eastrea Road/Dandelion Drive roundabout is also anticipated to operate within capacity under all future year scenarios.”

Aldi will deliver a new footpath on the southern side of Eastrea Road between the food store site and the footway improvement works to be delivered as part of the Taylor Wimpey development

There will be a new pedestrian refuge island situated west of the food store access junction to facilitate the crossing of Eastrea Road

A new signal-controlled pelican crossing with refuge island across the A605 to the west of the proposed residential access junction to facilitate the crossing of Eastrea Road

The existing westbound bus stop on Eastrea Road will be relocated and upgraded to include a new shelter.

A new eastbound bus stop on Eastrea Road.

Aldi must pay £27,000 for each bus shelter which will also cover maintenance.

The sums are small beer compared to what major road works could have cost.

But developers maintain both the housing and the store have incurred massive costs including £400,000 for archaeological excavations.