Lidl has invested a total of £435 million in two warehouses to support its growth across the country.

The supermarket said it has now completed a £285 million investment in its Belvedere logistics hub in London.

The first phase of investment, which involved the construction of a new, second warehouse, equates to £160 million.

The second stage demolished the original building to make way for a state-of-the art warehouse, which Lidl said tripled capacity.

The discounter said it now has 800,000 sq ft worth of warehouse space at Belvedere, a 167 per cent increase in its footprint since first opening at the site in 2003. The site is now big enough to park nearly 1,800 double decker buses indoors.

Once fully operational, the site will serve 120 stores from Brentford to Dorking, with capacity to service future stores that open in the area.

Lidl added that last month it started construction at its 38-acre site in Gildersome, Leeds.

The company said the £150 million investment represents its commitment to scaling up and strengthening infrastructure to support its stores across the country as it works towards its major milestone of 1,000 stores.

These developments will lead to over 500 new jobs, with Lidl saying that the expansion at Belvedere will create 120 new positions while the Leeds warehouse will provide 400 new roles.

“We’re proud to play our role in driving economic growth, while continuing to establish an infrastructure that delivers sustainable growth for our ambitious expansion plans,” said Richard Taylor, chief real estate officer at Lidl GB. “But these investments are not just about logistics.

“The updates today also represent an investment in our mission to make good food accessible to households across the country.”

Lidl added that it is continuing to search for new warehouses in the south of England to aid its growth.

In April, Lidl said it would invest half a billion pounds in its UK store expansion, with plans to open 40 new stores over the financial year.
Lidl currently has more than 980 stores, with 14 distribution centres across the UK.

The retailer also recently announced the publication its 2025 site requirements brochure, which includes hundreds of potential locations for new stores across UK High Streets, retail parks, and mixed-used town centres.

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