Lidl targets hundreds of new stores – and these Black Country locations are on its wish-list

The chain, which already has more than 960 stores in the UK, has identified potential locations that it would like to open up in.

In the Black Country it includes Aldridge, Bloxwich, Coseley, Dudley central, Gornal, Lye, Oldbury, Pelsall, Penn, Sedgley, Stourbridge, Tettenhall, Walsall (Broadway), Wednesbury, Wednesfield and Wolverhampton (Stafford Road).

Among the Shropshire desired locations are Bridgnorth and Shifnal.

Staffordshire potential sites take in Burntwood, Cannock, Codsall, Penkridge, Stafford (central, east, north and south) and Stone.

Kidderminster in Worcestershire is also targeted.

The expansion plans follow a year of significant investment in Lidl's infrastructure to further strengthen operations, during which Lidl opened its largest global warehouse in Luton. The discounter has also been improving its existing estate.

It has also introduced enhancements to its store estate, including the roll-out of electronic shelf labels, all of which in turn have supported Lidl’s record growth, with market share now standing at eight per cent.

The discounter has consistently been the fastest growing bricks and mortar supermarket for the past seven months.

Its new store openings will see Lidl reach thousands of additional households across the country and grow its record high market share further still.

In the coming months, Lidl will welcome shoppers to new stores across the country including Birmingham where it is also looking to find more sites for further stores.

Richard Taylor, Lidl GB chief development officer, said: “Having fortified our infrastructure with significant investments like Luton, which is the largest warehouse in the Lidl world, we're proud to have achieved record market share this month. We have also been the fastest growing bricks and mortar supermarket for the past seven months in a row. With an exceptional store network and our laser focus on operational excellence, we’re welcoming more customers through our doors than ever before, which positions us perfectly for continued expansion.

“As we celebrate our 30th year, our commitment to ensuring that all households across the country have access to high quality produce at affordable prices is stronger than ever. We’re planning to open hundreds of new Lidl stores but ultimately see no ceiling on our ambition or growth potential. This is why we’re continuing to invest in new locations whilst exploring innovative routes to expansion. As we look ahead, we’re excited to welcome even more new shoppers to our existing stores, as well as those we’re planning to open across the country in the coming months and years.”

Should a site be successfully identified, the discounter will pay a finders’ fee of either 1.5 per cent of the total freehold purchase price, or 10 per cent of the first year’s rent for leaseholds, which would equate to £22,500 for a completed £1.5m site purchase.

The discounter is specifically looking for sites in prominent locations with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow, with more than one-and-a-half acres for a standalone store and up to four acres for mixed-use schemes. Sites should allow for unit sizes between 18,000 and 26,500 sq ft and more than 100 dedicated car parking spaces.

Lidl will consider freehold, leasehold or long leasehold opportunities.

Since establishing itself in this country in 1994, Lidl has experienced continuous growth and today has more than 32,000 employees and 14 distribution centres in England, Scotland and Wales.

It is part of the Schwarz retail group and has around 376,000 employees globally and currently operates more than 12,200 stores.