Opening date for Lidl store in Goldstone Retail Park, Hove

Bosses plan to welcome customers into the site at the Goldstone Retail Park in April.

It will replace Toys R Us which shut in April 2018, two months after the toy company collapsed into administration.

The site as a Toys R Us, with work ongoing to transform it into a Lidl

Planning permission for the development of a new Lidl store was granted by Brighton and Hove City Council on September 8 last year.

According to plans, the supermarket will create 20 full-time jobs, as well as providing four electric vehicle charging points and "improving the food offer" for people living in the area.

Planning officer Stewart Glassar said: "The proposal for a new retail food store is considered acceptable, by reason of its location, job creation, improvements to the design of the unit and to pedestrian access, the provision of disabled parking spaces and EV charging points and the payment of a sustainable transport contribution.

• READ MORE: What next for Brighton high street after string of major shop closures?

"Furthermore, there would be a reduction in car parking spaces and no significant impact on the highways network, neighbouring amenity or on archaeological remains subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions.

"This application is therefore recommended for approval."

The approved plans included "external alterations to front and rear elevations" of the existing building as well as "alterations to part of the customer car park to provide trolley storage, covered cycle parking and car parking for disabled and parents".

Lidl is currently looking to expand its UK portfolio and build new stores, such as the one in the drawing shown, across the country

On January 22, RPS consulting services submitted a further planning application on behalf of Lidl asking the council to allow the store to extend its delivery hours from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, to 7am to 9pm from Monday to Saturday and between 8am and 6pm on Sundays.

One of the planning documents said the supermarket chain's aim was to open the store in the coming months, saying that work to update the site had already begun.

It read: "The works to implement this (approved) planning permission have now commenced and the new store is scheduled to open in April."

• READ MORE: Major chain stores close and others facing uncertain future in Brighton - here is a list of all of them

And, yesterday, a spokesman for Lidl confirmed that the store would be opening soon.

He told The Argus: "We can confirm that the fit out works of our Old Shoreham Road store in Brighton is well underway and is expected to open this spring.

"Once opened, the store will create about 40 full and part-time jobs for the local area and we look forward to delivering our fresh, quality and affordable produce to the local community."