THE RELOCATION of a Hampshire supermarket could create up to 20 extra jobs, the chain has revealed.

Lidl has submitted a planning application to Fareham Borough Council to demolish its current store at Speedfields Park in the town and build a bigger replacement on the existing site and 10 to 23 Apex Centre right next door.

The existing store, which opened in 2002, currently employs 18 staff.

A spokesperson from Lidl said: “Our current store is extremely popular but no longer meets the needs of our customers.

“The new store will provide a contemporary building, incorporate more glazing than the existing one and will be more energy-efficient and sustainable.”

Alongside this, supermarket chain Asda, which has a store on the site, has applied to build a second exit out of its store following detailed discussions with Hampshire County Council about congestion from traffic at the site.

Councillor Sean Woodward, the leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “It is welcoming to hear that Lidl want to create new jobs in the area; traffic will not be a problem as the extra turn out of Asda will alleviate this.”

But local residents fear that the new development will make traffic problems worse on Newgate Lane, a crucial link between Fareham and Gosport used by more than 25,000 vehicles a day.

Stuart McGarrick of Leesland Road said: “This area has a major traffic problem at present and it will only get worse with additional retail premises or larger premises.”

Lindsey Dowdell, a long-term tenant of the Apex Centre, said the development wasn’t needed and was against the proposals.

Lidl confirmed that the new store, which would be 3,200 sq ft larger than its 12,440 sq ft predecessor, could be open in 2019 if planning permission is granted with work set to begin next year.

The Fareham plans are part of a £1.5bn investment programme to open and upgrade more than 1,500 stores across the UK including the Shirley store in Southampton, which they are also planning to relocate.

The discount chain also opened a new store in Woolston earlier this year and a distribution centre in Nursling in November, creating 400 new jobs.

Marco Ivone, regional director at Lidl UK, added: “We have been able to create significant job opportunities as a result of the new warehouse and will continue to invest in the south as we move forward with our expansion plans.”

Last month, the Daily Echo reported that rival discounter Aldi was eyeing up several towns across for Hampshire for new outlets, including Southampton, Eastleigh, Winchester, Totton, Gosport and Hedge End.