Supermarket giant Lidl has said it wants a new store in Leamington Spa.

In a list of desired locations across the country, the discount retailer has included 'Leamington North' on its shortlist of desired locations.

Lidl says it aims to open 40 new stores in the next financial year, investing half a billion pounds.

Other desired locations in South Warwickshire include Kenilworth and Warwick south.

Solihull, Rugby and various spots in Coventry are also included.

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.

“Our latest site requirements brochure reinforces the scale of our ambition for the future. New Lidl stores mean new jobs, new opportunities for British suppliers, and continued investment into local economies. We’re proud to be one of the fastest-growing supermarkets in the country, and with this investment, we’re taking another big step in our journey."

The news comes as Lidl has submitted a planning application to Warwick District Council which states the new store would be opened at Europa House on Heathcote Lane.

Currently a warehouse building, the 2.12 acre site would also have a car park for 125 cars alongside the supermarket.