Construction of a new 54,000m2 regional hub in Leeds is also set to get underway later this year.

Planned regional distribution centre at 38-acre site in Gildersome to start this year

The discounter has just published its 2025 site requirements brochure, identifying hundreds of potential new locations across England, Scotland and Wales – including high streets, retail parks and mixed-use town centres.

Fresh targets range from Newton Mearns to Dawlish, and Builth Wells to Aylsham, with the London Borough of Barnet also earmarked for a new store.

The expansion push will help Lidl edge closer to its goal of hitting 1,000 UK stores, as demand for affordable food continues to surge.

Richard Taylor, chief real estate officer at Lidl GB, said: “This level of investment is a clear sign of our ambition. As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain and hurtle towards a thousand stores, there are still so many parts of the country crying out for convenient access to a Lidl store.”

He welcomed the Government’s proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which he said would help strip away barriers to development and fuel growth plans.