Lidl Ireland has submitted a planning application for a new site in Douglas.

The German supermarket chain said the application is for a “landmark building with strong architectural finishes” and would see the construction of a mixed-use development comprising an environmentally friendly Lidl store, eight two-bed apartments, a cafe and another commercial unit.

The proposed site faces onto the roundabout on the Douglas Relief Road (R610) and is currently lying vacant.

“This is an exciting proposal from Lidl for the Douglas area which will turn an unused site into one that offers great services to the community,” said Lidl’s regional director for the Munster area Conor Nagle.

“When approved, this brand new state-of-the-art store will create 30 new local jobs as well as supporting many hundreds more during the construction phase of the entire development. Lidl is committed to delivering high-quality builds and we have employed the use of leading architects and designers to make the best use of this site.

“Of course a Lidl store doesn’t just bring better value shopping to an area – it means more fundraising for Ladies Gaelic Football clubs and schools in the area, it means new charity groups supported with FoodCloud donations and more funding for youth mental health in Cork through our charity partner Jigsaw. We are also proud supporters of Ability@Work with the Cope Foundation and look forward to extending this programme to Douglas when we receive permission.”

The planned store will incorporate a range of sustainability features including an ISO 50001 certified Energy Management System, electric vehicle charger spaces and a solar panel system.