Lidl NI investing £12m in two new Belfast stores, creating jobs

Plans to relocate Lidl NI’s existing store at the junction of Castlereagh and Montgomery Road to a new adjacent site on Castlereagh Road were approved this week by Lisburn & Castlereagh Borough Council following an extensive public and stakeholder consultation.

Occupying a much larger site of 11,575 sq metres, with a 1,420 sq metre sales floor, the new store represents an £8 million investment for east Belfast and will create a further 10 permanent new retail jobs on top of the existing 25 employees when it opens in July next year, supporting a further 200 jobs indirectly during construction and development.

Permission has also been granted for a new replacement Lidl NI store at Shore Road in the north of the city. Modernisation plans were approved by Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council which will see the retailer’s existing store redeveloped in a £4 million investment. The store will close from Wednesday, January 5 to facilitate construction work.

The new-look store will sit on an expanded site occupying 10,250 metres, with a sales floor of 1,420 sq metres, and reflect a modern new design with glass-fronted glazing, landscaping and a larger car park.

Thirteen jobs will be created to add to the existing workforce of 22 to accommodate the larger store, with an additional 200 jobs supported during the development and construction phases.

Lidl said the investment drive was part of a long-term plan to grow its network to 50 stores across the region and follows its announcement last year to commit £32 million in developing five new stores in the greater Belfast region.

Chris Speers, regional property executive for Lidl NI, said: “Lidl NI is engaged in a substantial investment programme to not only grow our store network across the region but to redevelop and rejuvenate existing older sites. I’m delighted to confirm that we are now moving ahead with plans to relocate our existing store at Castlereagh Road to an adjacent site and progressing plans to redevelop and expand our existing Shore Road store.

“Both store locations are on key sites, positioned in prime locations that serve a large community base in the north and east of the city. We’re pleased to have worked closely with local residents, businesses, community groups and councillors to bring these plans forward.”

Last year, Lidl NI confirmed plans to invest £32 million in five new greater Belfast stores by 2023.

In November 2020, it opened its landmark 40th store at Holywood Exchange Retail Park in the outer east area of the city and earlier this year opened a brand new store at Hillview Retail Park, Crumlin Road in the city’s north-west.

Plans have also been submitted for the fifth store, a new £10 million state-of-the-art store at Boucher Road, Belfast, encompassing a 1,420 sq metre sales floor, 148-space car park and 500-sq metre drive thru café.

Once approved, it is anticipated the new store will open next year and support up to 70 permanent new jobs.

Confirmed as NI’s fastest-growing supermarket by Kantar, with 12.2% year-on-year sales growth in 2021, the retailer contributes around £180 million a year to the local economy, sustaining 3,500 jobs while buying and exporting as much as £290 million worth of local goods and products.

The company employs more than 1,000 employees across its 41-strong store network and Regional Distribution Centre in Nutt’s Corner, Co. Antrim.

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