Budget supermarket giant Lidl has welcomed the news that a new supermarket will be built for it on the Anglia Retail park off Bury Road.

It will be built by park owners Ipswich Borough Assets, the council's commercial property company, and should be open for business by Christmas next year.

A total of 40 full-time equivalent jobs should be created at the store on the site of the former B&Q garden centre.

Ipswich council's planning and development committee approved the application almost unanimously - with only one abstention - after hearing that officers had carried out thorough checks to ensure the new store would not damage the town centre.

Lidl GB’s Regional Head of Property, Andrew Hodgkinson, said: “At a time when household budgets are under increasing pressure, we are committed to ensuring as many people as possible have access to Lidl’s high quality and affordable produce.

"We are delighted to have our plans approved by the planning committee for our third store in Ipswich, which we believe will greatly improve shopping choice for local residents.

"Following our recent wage increase we are proud to be the UK’s highest paying supermarket and these plans will secure full time and part time roles for the community.

"The plans will also deliver further investment into the area, and we are thrilled to have received planning permission today."

The store will be built by IBA and its chair, Colin Kreidewolf, said the construction would now be put out to tender and work would probably start early next year.

He said: "We hope to be able to get the store open by next December. It will be tight - but we'll see what can be done.

“I’m really pleased we have received approval today. This Lidl store will complement the already strong retail and food offer at Anglia Retail Park and is the latest new name to be attracted to the park since we bought it in 2017.

"It will also bring around 40 new jobs to Ipswich."

Lidl already has a store at the junction of London Road and Handford Road in Ipswich and is preparing to move to a new store on Futura Park which will replace its small Ravenswood store at the end of the year.