Lidl has plans to open dozens of new stores in Sussex.

The retailer wants to open five new supermarkets in Brighton as part of its expansion plans across the UK.

It currently has one store in Arundel Road, Kemp Town, but reportedly wants to expand to Moulsecoomb, Hollingbury, London Road, the city centre and Portslade.

Across Sussex, the German retailer wants to open stores in several towns including Crawley, Hailsham, Seaford, Hastings and Lewes.

It is looking for sites in prominent locations with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow.

Richard Taylor, chief development officer at Lidl GB, said: "We have also been the fastest growing bricks and mortar supermarket for the past seven months in a row.

"With an exceptional store network and our laser focus on operational excellence, we're welcoming more customers through our doors than ever before, which positions us perfectly for continued expansion.

"We're planning to open hundreds of new Lidl stores but ultimately see no ceiling on our ambition or growth potential."

Sites should allow for unit sizes between 18,000 and 26,500 sq ft and more than 100 parking spaces.

If a site is successfully identified, the supermarket will pay a finder’s fee of either 1.5 per cent of the total freehold purchase price or ten per cent of the first year’s rent for leaseholds, which would equate to £22,500 for a completed £1.5million site purchase.

These are the Sussex sites Lidl reportedly wants to open in:

  • Bexhill - North (rel)
  • Bexhill - South
  • Brighton - City Centre
  • Brighton - Hollingbury
  • Brighton - London Road
  • Brighton - Moulsecoomb
  • Brighton - Portslade
  • Burgess Hill - South
  • Crawley (rel)
  • Crawley - North
  • Crawley - South
  • Eastbourne - North
  • Hailsham
  • Hastings - East
  • Hastings - North
  • Haywards Heath
  • Heathfield
  • Lewes
  • Newhaven (rel)
  • Peacehaven
  • Rye
  • Seaford
  • Uckfield

Lidl says the sites listed are only potential locations.

Lidl currently has several sites in Sussex including Hove, Shoreham, Newhaven, Worthing, Eastbourne and Burgess Hill.