Lidl has told planners it has spent more than ten years searching for a second supermarket site in Ballymena, as part of an application that proposes an £8 million investment and 50 permanent jobs.

The discount chain currently operates a store in the town which opened in 2002. Its planning submission states that this branch is the third smallest of its 44 stores in Northern Ireland, with 871 square metres of sales space and 63 parking spaces.

Customer data covering the most recent quarter shows that 56% of recorded Lidl shopping visits by customers from Ballymena and Broughshane were to the existing Ballymena store. A further 31% were to Lidl in Antrim, while 13% were to other Lidl stores. The Antrim supermarket has 1,420 square metres of sales space and 157 parking spaces.

The proposed new store would be built on vacant land immediately south of the Ecos Roundabout. It would have about 1,743 square metres of net sales space, including 1,394 square metres for groceries and other convenience goods. Plans show 151 parking spaces, including eight accessible spaces and six parent-and-child spaces, along with two electric vehicle charging spaces and six cycle parking spaces.

Lidl states that it fully intends to trade both the existing and proposed stores, subject to planning permission. The application is for an additional supermarket rather than a relocation.

An independent retail audit commissioned by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council previously raised questions about whether sufficient need had been demonstrated and whether the development would cause significant adverse impacts on Ballymena town centre. Lidl has responded with updated evidence including trading figures and customer travel patterns.

Lidl's assessment projects annual convenience-goods turnover of about £11.2 million at the new supermarket. The retailer estimates the development would have an overall retail impact of 1.9% on the town centre, falling to 0.8% when the existing Lidl store is excluded from the calculation.

The submission also argues that the new store would improve access to affordable groceries for nearby residents. It cites 2021 Census figures showing that 32% of households in Fair Green ward had no access to a private vehicle, compared with 17% across Mid and East Antrim. Approximately 3,400 people would live within walking distance of the proposed store.

Lidl also provided a price comparison dated 21 October 2026, claiming a selected trolley of goods cost £104.45 at Lidl compared with £138.81 at Tesco, a saving of about 25% using loyalty prices.

The planning application remains under consideration by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.