1,500 new jobs as world's biggest Lidl warehouse opens in Houghton Regis

Supermarket chain Lidl has opened its largest warehouse in the world in Houghton Regis following a £300 million investment.

The warehouse, situated off the Woodside Link road close to J11a of the M1, is set to create up to 1,500 jobs with workers getting £11.40 an hour, with the potential to rise to £12.30 depending on length of service.

It is Lidl’s largest construction project to date and the first to include automated machinery. At 1.2 million square feet and half a kilometre in length, the regional distribution centre will deliver over 9,400 pallets a day to 150 stores.

The warehouse is the first of Lidl’s delivery fleets to be fuelled by biogas from food waste, while the centre will generate around two million kWh of electricity every year from solar panels.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “It’s fantastic to see Lidl investing in the UK and creating thousands more well-paid jobs.”

While Andrew Selous, MP for South West Bedfordshire, said: “ This investment creating 1,500 jobs in Houghton Regis is a fantastic vote of confidence in our area.

"It is only by starting and expanding businesses like this that we will earn the tax revenue to pay for everything we care for and I am also very appreciative of the role of Lidl in giving shoppers lower cost options to help pressure on family budgets. It is also excellent to see Lidl's commitment to recycling both packaging and food waste."

Richard Taylor, chief development Officer at Lidl GB, said: “The fact that Lidl's largest RDC in the world is here in Great Britain speaks for itself not only in terms of us needing to meet the growing demand from customers but also in terms of our ambition to grow that demand in the future.”

Lidl’s regional director responsible for the new site, Jennifer Davidson added: “In my 26 years at Lidl I’ve had the opportunity to work on some incredible projects, but none of which I am prouder of than this. To see the culmination of all the work that’s gone into it and knowing the boost that it’s going to give to the local economy including the 1,500 jobs created, is truly something.”