Discount supermarket Lidl is set to a develop more than 3,000 jobs and a school, as it looks to secure more stores across London.
The retailer has already built 255 homes since 2008, in a bid to increase its presence in the capital.
Lidl is planning to extend the project to include the development of offices, student accommodation and hotels.
Its latest project, Deer Park primary school in Richmond will also feature a Lidl store, an outdoor play area and is set to be completed by next year.
UK managing director Christian Härtnagel said: “We’re proud that our stores are increasingly helping to pave the way for mixed-use developments, which in turn are supporting important initiatives. It continues to mean a great deal to us that we are able to support many of the communities that we’re a part of by providing added value above and beyond affordable food.”
Lidl is not the only supermarket to get involved in the building sector, as retailers increasingly find it difficult to obtain planning permission for new stores.
However, building community facilities and much-needed housing is more likely to be viewed more favourably by the council.
Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, helped develop various homes above its stores in Woolwich and Streatham, both in South London.
Sainsbury’s also entered a joint-scheme with Barratt Homes to develop 700 homes in Nine Elms, nearby Vauxhall, as well as recently obtaining planning permission for another project in Redbridge, East London.
Moreover, Morrisons has recently followed suit, opting to go ahead with the re-development of 600 homes in Camden, North London.
Despite the mounting pressures of inflation on the nation’s supermarkets, discount retailers such as Lidl and Aldi continue to eat into the market share of ‘the big four’.
‘The big four’ refers to Tesco (LON:TSCO), Sainsbury’s (LON:SBRY), Asda and Morrisons (LON:MRW), respectively.
Figures in April revealed that Aldi and Lidl reached a record level of market share, with more than 63 percent percent of households visiting the stores.