Aldi has unveiled plans for a new £7million store in the north of England. The German supermarket chain, which has over 1,080 stores across the UK, says has submitted a planning application to Wirral Council for the new branch located within the Wirral Waters development taking shape in Seacombe, Merseyside.

The proposal site is a brownfield plot currently used as a lorry park, and located off Birkenhead Road. Aldi says the development would bring a modern food store to the land, in what would be a major investment into the local economy. The plans envisage a 13,200 sq ft shopping area with 84 parking spaces, as well as cycle hoops to encourage customers to visit the store by bike. The plans estimate the store would create as many as 40 full-time jobs, with Aldi looking to hire staff from the local area.

The new store, which is designed by London-based architects The Harris Partnership, fits into a wider scheme launched by land owners Peel Waters, which is transforming hundreds of acres surrounding the site into a mixed-use district, as per Liverpool Echo.

Aldi previously said a food store in the area would "enhance the local retail offering and provide access to a discount retailer in the community for years to come".

A public consultation was held by the retailer ahead of the plans being submitted, and a spokesperson said it found 97% of 500 people asked were in favour of the shop being built.

The spokesperson said: "We are delighted to have submitted our plans for a new Aldi food store in Wirral Waters. We’d like to thank the local community for their engagement with our consultation and the enthusiasm that has been shown for our plans.

"This site is ideal for a new food store serving residents in Seacombe and would support the wider regeneration ambitions for Wirral Waters.

"We’re looking forward to our plans being determined by Wirral Council in the coming months and will keep the community updated as our application progresses."

Richard Mawdsley, development director for Wirral Waters at Peel Waters, said: "Aldi’s plans represent another important milestone in the ongoing transformation of Wirral Waters, and Peel Waters are very pleased to be working with them to bring forward this investment.

"Delivering a successful, sustainable neighbourhood is about more than new homes - it’s about creating places where people can live, work, study and access the services they need day-to-day.

"Partnership is central to that vision, and Aldi’s commitment to Wirral Waters reflects the confidence that leading operators have in the scale of opportunity here.

"As the community continues to grow with residents, students and businesses already established and many more to come, it’s vital that essential amenities are delivered alongside that growth."

He added: "Regenerating brownfield land and attracting the right mix of uses is key to creating a thriving waterfront destination."

Wirral Council is expected to make a decision on the planning application in the coming months.