SUPERMARKET giant Lidl has revealed plans to open more stores in south Essex. 

The German chain is seeking hundreds of new sites across the UK and says it is on track to meet its ambitious target of opening 1,000 new stores in the UK by the end of 2023.

According to its latest list of site requirements, the supermarket chain is looking for seven locations for stores. 

The locations are:

  • Basildon - Benfleet
  • Basildon - Vange
  • Billericay
  • Southend - Leigh on Sea
  • Southend - Rayleigh
  • Southend - Rochford
  • Wickford 

Lidl continues to press ahead with its plans for at least two new stores, which it plans to open this year.

Lidl hopes to open a new supermarket in Laindon by the end of the year.

It has signed a deal with Swan Housing which is involved in the Laindon Place regeneration project.

Lidl will move out of their existing premises on Manor Road in Laindon, with the site then used to provide more homes.

The new supermarket will be built at the Danacre end of the Laindon Place regeneration, and will feature a bakery, toilets and baby changing facilities.

Lidl also plans to open a new supermarket in Shoebury - creating 40 new jobs in the process.

Read more >> Everything we know about the new Lidl stores opening in south Essex this year

The budget supermarket chain has exchanged contracts with developers and has already begun work on its new store at the garrison estate off Campfield Road.

The supermarket is in addition to a planned new commercial area being built by Garrison Developments LLP.

The chain also wants to open a number of other stores across Essex. They are in:

  • Braintree - East
  • Chelmsford - Broomfield
  • Chelmsford - Springfield
  • Clacton (rel)
  • Colchester - North
  • Colchester - West
  • Great Dunmow
  • Saffron Walden
  • South Woodham Ferrers

Lidl plans to open 50 news stores across the UK this year as part of its huge expansion.

The move will open up 2,000 new jobs across the UK.

The retailers is one of the UK's 'big six' supermarkets competing with Tesco, Asda, Morrison's Sainsbury's and Aldi.

The discount supermarket announced the openings as part of a £1.3 billion investment, with the aim of launching 1,000 new stores by 2022 - 50 of which will open to customers by December this year.

Lidl is looking at opening its new sites in town centres, the edge of city centres, retail parks and metropolitan locations across the country.

The company said the new shops will all feature modern tech, with solar panels and electric vehicle charging points for customers to use.

Christian Härtnagel, at Lidl GB said: “We are calling on developers and landlords up and down the country to help find potential sites for us to build Lidl stores, which demonstrates the continued ambition we have to further expand our store portfolio across the nation.

"Despite the challenges of the past year, we still managed to meet our ambitious target of opening, on average, one new store per week across Great Britain."