DISCOUNT supermarket Lidl has revealed plans for a new supermarket in Thornbury.
The retailer wants to move on to the site near Midland Way currently occupied by clothing provider Alexandra Workwear, which has been based in the town for nearly 30 years.
Lidl has set up a website to show details of the proposed supermarket to residents and ask them to leave their comments.
It says the store would will have 95 parking spaces, including parent & child and accessible bays, and would also have rapid electric vehicle chargers.
The German retailer says up to 40 new jobs would be created at the store, which it describes as a “multi-million-pound investment”.
It would have a new pedestrian access from Midland Way, as well as a main vehicle and site entrance off Whitebridge Gardens.
Lidl says there would be new landscaping around the supermarket, including tree and shrub planting “to aid biodiversity”, and solar panels on the roof.
Lidl GB head of property Glen Stidever said: “Representing a multi-million-pound investment, the proposals also include the creation of new jobs for the community.
“We are keen to gain feedback from as many people as possible to ensure the plans best meet their needs ahead of submitting a planning application.
“We look forward to sharing and discussing our plans with everyone.”
The supermarket, which has built its British presence to more than 960 stores and 13 distribution centres since entering the market in 1994, has more than 31,000 employees across the country.
It is inviting people to visit a website at thornbury.newsite.lidl.co.uk to give their views before a formal planning application is made.
The move looks set to end Alexandra Workwear’s presence in Thornbury, where it moved to a purpose built office, warehouse and embroidery unit in 1995.
It moved into its current building in 2011, a year after the company went into administration and was bought out by US firm Men’s Wearhouse and many of its functions were shared with Derbyshire-based Dimensions.
The company is now part of global uniforms company Mi Hub.
A Mi Hub spokesperson declined to reveal when the company planned to relocate or where its new base would be, saying it was still in the “final negotiation stages” for the site.
The firm also declined to reveal how many employees currently work at the Thornbury site, and whether there would be any change in the size of the workforce as a result.
The spokesperson said: “After an extensive search of the area we are pleased and excited to be moving into a new office and continuing our long-standing Alexandra relationship with the Bristol area. Our new location is just a few miles away, with great transport links, and has been greeted with enthusiasm by our Thornbury based colleagues.”
Alexandra Workwear traces roots back to a Bristol drapery business founded in 1850, which was renamed in 1880.