Lidl has confirmed plans to open a new store just yards away from a rival supermarket.

Bosses at the discount chain have announced proposals which would see it open in Manston Road, Ramsgate – a stone’s throw away from a Tesco superstore.

If approved, it would create up to 40 jobs, while 122 parking spaces will be built alongside a new bus stop offering easy access to the new shop.

A timeline for the project has yet to be revealed, with Lidl chiefs saying they are in the process of obtaining planning permission.

The new opening is not expected to affect the nearby store in Margate Road, with hopes of seeing them trade alongside together.

It comes following Lidl’s announcement last month, confirming an investment of half a billion pounds in its expansion with proposals to open more than 40 new stores across the country this financial year.

Richard Taylor, chief real estate officer at Lidl GB, said: “This level of investment is a clear sign of our ambition.

“As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain and hurtle towards a thousand stores, there are still so many parts of the country crying out for convenient access to a Lidl store.

“That’s why we welcome the measures proposed in the Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill – they recognise the urgent need to remove barriers to development and support the kind of growth we at Lidl are working towards.”

This is the second national firm to launch a bid for a presence in Manston Road in recent times, with McDonald’s bid for a new restaurant being snubbed by Thanet District Council earlier this month.