A supermarket chain is set to open two new stores in the borough next year.

Aldi is currently building a new base on the former HPL Motors site in Bury New Road, Prestwich, and bosses have now been granted permission to open up on Crostons Retail Park in Bury.

The firm already runs stores in Higher Lane, Whitefield, and in Bell Lane, Bury, and will employ more than 100 people in the borough when the two other ones open.

In September, Aldi revealed it earned £3.6 billion in 2012, which is a 40 per cent increase on 2011.

The company markets itself as an alternative to the big four — Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s — and one million customers switched to Aldi in 2012, according to the figures.

Buoyed by the news, Aldi bosses have ploughed £400 million into opening 50 new stores across the UK in 2014.

The company’s joint managing director Roman Heini said: “We have always been seen as a top-up shopping destination and that has changed now.

“Most shoppers see us today as a weekly shopping destination.”

“Families are spending more time at home to avoid the expense of eating out at restaurants.

“If we can open more stores, we will make Aldi a more convenient place for people to do their weekly shop.”

An Aldi spokesman said: “Aldi received planning permission from Bury Planning Committee on December 17 for the refurbishment and extension of the former Netto site on The Crostons Retail Park in Bury.

“Work on the Bury store will commence in the New Year and it is scheduled in summer 2014.”

Lidl formally objected to Aldi’s application to bring the Netto site back into use, claiming it was unfair for Bury Council to grant permission when it recently declined permission for Lidl to build at the former gasworks in Victoria Street, Bury.

But the committee ruled a key point was Aldi wants to revive an unused supermarket rather than build a new one.

The new Prestwich store is set to open its doors on February 6, following 28 weeks of building work.