Lidl announces plans to open huge new distribution centre in Leeds & create 400 new jobs - how to apply

Lidl has confirmed plans to open a new 35-acre distribution centre in Leeds and create hundreds of new jobs in the area. The new site, which is part of multi-million pound planned investment, will be located in Gildersome, Leeds.

Lidl’s plans submitted to Leeds City Council for a 54,000m2 build represent a significant investment and showcases Lidl GB’s commitment to fostering local economic growth, alongside its continued expansion. The discounter estimates this new regional distribution centre would create over 400 job opportunities if approved and once fully operational.

Richard Taylor, chief development officer at Lidl GB, said: “Our ambitious warehouse plans demonstrate our commitment to investing not only in our distribution network but the country as a whole. An RDC in Leeds would be a great addition to the North, while we continue to keep a lookout for new sites in the South.

“In the last five years we have opened over 240,000m2 of warehouse space and invested over £700m, but we need more space and people to help us meet our growth targets. We’ve built an impressive store portfolio across the country and our vision to have over 1,100 stores in Great Britain remains unchanged.”

Over the last five years Lidl GB’s focus on regional operational expansion has been unprecedented, opening four RDCs including Motherwell, Peterborough, Doncaster and a second site in Belvedere. These three sites have collectively created over 1,400 jobs for people up and down the country.

Meanwhile, the new plans for Leeds come after Lidl released a list of more than 1,000 locations across the country where it is looking to expand as the supermarket continues to grow. Within the plans, Lidl announced it was looking at 18 Leeds locations, including Adel, Beeston and Bramley to open new sites.

Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer, Lidl GB said: “Demand for Lidl has never been higher as more and more people realise they can make significant savings on every shop without compromising on quality. Our success is dependent on the amazing work that colleagues do and we’re looking forward to welcoming thousands more throughout 2023.”

Lidl also announced that it is recruiting over 1,500 warehouse colleagues across its existing regional distribution centre (RDC) network across the country.

Lidl jobs - how to apply

To make it as easy as possible for warehouse candidates to secure roles, Lidl will be holding recruitment open days across its RDCs, with the option for successful candidates to sign contracts on the day. For information on when the recruitment days will be, visit the Lidl careers website.

New recruits will earn a minimum of £11 an hour outside of London. All new jobs will be permanent and include full and part-time positions, which will see pay increase up to £12.00 and £13.00 with length of service, depending on location.