Coles will spend almost half a billion dollars building 31 new stores in Queensland, creating 8,000 jobs.

The stores will be built over the next four years, with two thirds of them in Brisbane.

Six are already being built. A further 13 will be finished within two years.

Premier Campbell Newman says the expansion is a vote of confidence in Queensland.

“We’ve seen great job growth in Queensland, more than half the nation’s jobs in the last 12 months have been created here,” he told reporters as he toured one of the new stores in the Brisbane suburb of Mitchelton.

Coles property director Greg Chubb says the drive will create 4,000 construction jobs and 4,000 full-time positions.

“Coles is very confident in the state of Queensland, based on significant population growth and very strong economic credentials,” he said.