Lidl submits plans to build store in a Sussex town

The supermarket giant has lodged the proposal with the South Downs National Park planning authority, aiming to open a new outlet in Lewes.

If greenlit, the store will be located east of Brooks Road, in proximity to existing Aldi and Tesco supermarkets.

The proposed site currently accommodates a Caffyns car dealership and The Doctor Clinic wellbeing centre, both of which would be demolished if the plans go ahead.

The new Lidl store will comprise a gross external area of 2,283 square metres, with a net sales area of 1,516 square metres.

It will also have 113 parking spaces, including six disabled spaces, nine parent-and-child spaces, and two electric vehicle spaces.

The new store would have parking for 113 cars (Image: Whittam Cox Architects) The proposal highlights an "attractive hard and soft landscaping proposal", and notes that pedestrian access will be directly from Brooks Road.

The site access will be revamped to allow vehicular entry for customers and delivery vehicles from the roundabout.

A dedicated service and deliveries area will be positioned on the eastern side of the store, with one to two deliveries expected per day, escalating to three during peak periods such as Christmas and Easter.

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Lidl, along with Aldi, is categorised as a limited assortment discounter, distinct from mainstream operators.

According to the application, about 80 per cent of the products sold by Lidl are their own brand, with the company typically stocking around 3,000 items.

For comparison, major operators like Morrisons, Tesco, Asda, and Sainsbury’s can retail over 35,000 items.

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Lidl stores generally operate from 7am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and on bank holidays, and either 10am to 4pm or 11am to 5pm on Sundays.

Although staffing levels have not been finalised, the proposed store is expected to create up to 40 new jobs, based on existing Lidl stores elsewhere.

The plans submitted also underline Lidl’s aim to bolster its presence in the UK.

The company, which already operates over 970 stores across the country, employs more than 31,000 people.

The plans can be viewed using the reference SDNP/25/01871/FUL.