A supermarket giant has lodged plans for a new store in Norwich. 

Lidl is hoping to build a completely new branch in Sweet Briar Road, next to the retail park, on a vacant patch of land. 

There are currently four Lidl stores in and around the city after the Drayton Road site closed in April last year, and plans to open another branch in Bowthorpe are still under consideration.

There are branches in Aylsham Road, Broadland Gate business park, Sprowston and Taverham.

The proposals have been lodged with Norwich City Council after it granted outline planning permission for new retail space on the site three years ago. 

Plans have been lodged for a new Lidl supermarket in NorwichPlans have been lodged for a new Lidl supermarket in Norwich (Image: Google Maps)

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The application includes a single storey supermarket building along with 160 car parking spaces, a roundabout within the site and a new junction into Sweet Briar Road. 

City Hall is yet to decide whether to approve another recent bid by the chain to open a new branch in the building currently occupied by Namco Funscape in Barnard Road, Bowthorpe. 

Lidl representatives claim that the bowling alley "does not have a viable future" although Namco Funscape does not have any current plans to vacate the site.

The German discount chain currently has about 960 stores but is targeting more than 1,100 across England, Wales and Scotland.

Breckland Council also recently granted permission for the demolition of the former Busseys car dealership site in Yaxham Road, Dereham, to build a new Lidl branch.

The plans were first lodged in 2022 but went back to the drawing board amid concerns over "severe impacts" on road congestion with increased traffic and unsuitable access to the site.

However, with the addition of new detail to the original designs, council planning officers have since recommended the development to go ahead.