As German grocer Lidl prepares to open its first Virginia stores this summer, Loudoun County just approved a development anchored by the retailer.

Van Metre's 13-acre Lidl-anchored retail and office development earned approval from the Loudoun Board of Supervisors Thursday, the Loudoun Times-Mirror reports.

The development, which calls for a 36k SF grocery store with 23k SF of offices, is planned at the intersection of Broadlands Boulevard and Clairborne Parkway. The developer had planned to build 28 townhouses on a nearby site but later withdrew that proposal. Neighborhood residents have voiced opposition to the project, noting that there are enough grocery stores in the area and the space could be better utilized.

Lidl opened a U.S. HQ at Arlington's National Gateway in 2015 and recently announced plans to open 20 East Coast stores this summer. The grocer has acquired sites in Leesburg, Woodbridge, Chantilly and Dumfries.

Several Loudoun developers will be on hand to discuss the county's pipeline at Bisnow's Future of Loudoun County event on April 18.