WORK has begun on the new Lidl supermarket on the outskirts of Wellington - and it should be up and running by the end of February.

The store, which will be off the Cades Farm roundabout and Nynehead Road, will create about 40 jobs.

It has had a rocky road during the planning stages - as it is part of the bigger picture which includes a new railway station for Wellington, which is due to be built by 2025.

Lidl say their new building is ‘of average size’ for one of their stores and they expect it to be completed on time.

A spokesperson said: “The new store represents a multi-million pound investment, which will be fantastic for the local area. We are extremely grateful for all the support that we have received so far and would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while we enter this next phase of the development.”

Work on the building began at the beginning of this week.

The supermarket will provide competition for Waitrose, Asda and Co-op, the other main stores in the town.

It has been an open secret for the past several years that Lidl had been eyeing Wellington as part of its plans to double its existing portfolio of more than 750 stores nationwide.

Meanwhile, town councillors have opposed a 40-feet high flag pole sign which is part of a planning application by Lidl for advertisement consent. Councillors felt it would spoil the appearance of the entrance to Wellington for people travelling from the M5.

Lidl wants to install a large poster display unit, four illuminated advertising hoardings, and two fascia signs all facing the road into Wellington.