A GERMAN supermarket chain plans to open a regional distribution centre at Nursling next year – creating 400 new jobs.

Lidl already has planning permission for the complex at Adanac Park and bosses hope building work will start shortly and be up and runnig before the end of 2014..

Company regional property director Oliver McGuinness said: “Having confirmed the legal agreements, we are delighted to have been granted formal planning permission. This development will create hundreds of new jobs for the region and bring many benefits to the community.”

The distribution centre will serve Lidl’s supermarkets across central southern England and the development has been widely welcomed by organisations representing business in the area.

Hampshire’s Chamber of Commerce’s boss, Jimmy Chestnutt said: “The planning and transport committee has been impressed by the effort put in by Lidl and Barker-Mill Estates (landowner of the site) to ensure that transport issues and aesthetic aspects of the new distribution centre was fully addressed. Once put into practice these changes will be a huge benefit to the community.”

Giving the planned distribution centre, which includes 2.5 hectares of landscaping improvements, her backing Business Solent chief executive Sally Lynskey said: “At a time of so much economic uncertainly, it is hugely beneficial that a development such as this is given the green light, it is a really positive piece of news for the region.”

Lidl was asked to contribute to highway improvements in the area by Test Valley Borough Council and Southampton City Council as part of the planning conditions.

Solent Local Enterprise Partnership director Russell Kew also agreed it was good news.

“In December last year, the SLEP published its strategy for growth which outlined our vision for the area. Job creation is at the core of this strategy and we hope to see an additional 10,000 new jobs created in the Solent area in the period to 2026, and we welcome the 400 jobs that the proposed Lidl distribution centre will bring to the area.”