Supermarket giant Lidl has announced plans for a second store to be built in the Medway Towns.

The German discounter wants to open a 2,278sq m branch on the site of the former Cuxton landfill pit in Roman Way, Strood.

A planning bid listed on Medway Council's planning portal sets out plans for the development of a "Class E retail store with associated parking, access, servicing and landscaping".

It would see the brownfield site transformed into a new budget supermarket off the main road, near the Medway Valley leisure park.

The store would encompass a sales floor area of 1,113 sq m, in line with most of its retail offerings.

There will be 117 parking spaces to be provided with provision for disabled customers and nine spaces allocated for parents with children. Two electrical vehicle charging points will also be provided.

It is understood the new store, which will be just minutes from the M2, will generate around 40 new jobs, with most to be sourced locally.

The bid forms part of the retail giant's UK-wide expansion plans with "quite a few stores" billed for the Medway Towns, according to planners acting for the budget chain.

Lidl announced it was planning to open its first store in the Medway Towns back in March 2019.

However, it faced opposition from national retail outfits Asda and Tesco who claimed plans to open a 1,669sq m complex off Medway Road in Gillingham would damage existing town centre stores.

A judicial review challenge was submitted claiming the planning process had not been followed properly but this was denied.

Medway Council's planning committee overruled protests by Asda by agreeing to allow planning permission for a third time last year.

But the stores have since mutually agreed to "quash" two previously-approved applications after Asda argued councillors were not referred to any of the policies relating to flood risks on the site during consideration.

The previously-approved plans will however become live again once the "quash" is finalised by the courts.

In February it was announced Lidl had made a duplicate application which addresses the flood risk issues which will now be considered again by the council's planning committee next Wednesday.

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