BUDGET supermarket Lidl is planning to open a new store in Verwood.

Residents have been contacted by James Mitchell, regional head of property at Lidl, to inform them of the German supermarket chain's intentions.

The proposals are to build a neighbourhood store on a 1.6 acre site at Ringwood Road, less than one kilometre from Verwood town centre.

An informal open day is planned for St Michael's Parish Centre, Manor Road, Verwood, next week.

Mr Mitchell explained: "The proposed store will be developed in line with Lidl's new store concept which was formulated with the view of providing the customer with an improved shopping experience.

"Accordingly the store will benefit from customer toilets, baby changing facilities and longer tills with bag packing area.

"The store will be a modern high quality building and will have a fully glazed shopfront which will face across the car park towards Ringwood Road.

"The store will also have solar PV panels on the roof of the building which will help to reduce the environmental impact of the store."

If the store gets planning approval it will boast a sales area of 1,175 square metres, and a total internal area of 1,691 square metres.

Lidl says the site currently includes two residential properties and an area of undeveloped land used for caravan storage.

Access to the new store will be around six metres west to the existing access to the caravan storage site.

Mr Mitchell said: "As part of the preparation of the planning application Lidl have carried out a retail impact assessment which looks at the effect of the proposed store on the surrounding local and district centres.

"The report concludes that the proposal will not have any significant impact on the vitality or viability of any of the centres nearby."

The consultation event, open to all residents, will take place from 3-7pm on Wednesday, June 12.