Competition within the Irish grocery trade is set to become much more intense following the disclosure by German discounter Lidl that it is looking for websites for more than 60 extra stores on both sides of the Border.The planned expansion is believed to be the biggest by any from the main grocery multiples and coincides with signs of a continuing recovery in customer spending within the Republic.Lidl is already among the biggest retailers in Ireland with 143 shops along with a further 38 in Northern Ireland. The other German discount chain Aldi has 115 stores in the Republic but doesn't trade in Northern Ireland.Lidl On Line Shopping has appointed CBRE’s Dublin and Belfast offices to locate crucial web sites in cities and towns to facilitate the expansion. Following opening its first retailer right here in 2000, it expanded rapidly and "experienced unparalleled development throughout their lifetime in Ireland," based on the business.As part of the continued expansion strategy it says it is "looking to open additional 60-plus shops on higher profile web sites with good visibility and accessibility."Freehold propertiesThe perfect site will be two acres in size even though smaller sized plots of around a single acre will likely be considered in high density urban locations. There is also a preference for freehold properties to accommodate shops ranging in size from 1,800 sq m to two,400 sq m (19, 375 sq ft/25,833 sq ft).Florence Stanley, head of retail at CBRE Dublin, stated that in addition to mounting a countrywide search for suitable web sites, they will be contacting local estate agents to find the best company locations."It might take a whilst to fulfil our commitment but if we handle to line up 60 websites inside 3 years our client would almost certainly be satisfied."Although most of the existing Lidl properties have substantial parking facilities, the organization has also been able to avail of smaller, well-located web sites by placing the stores on stilts and making use of the space underneath the building for parking. 1 such store is situated around the 1.14-acre former Sunday Planet web site in Terenure which lately opened for company.That site was bought by a residential development organization through the home boom for €18.three million and was acquired following the crash by Lidl for greater than €4 million.Not good newsTara Buckley, director general from the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association, mentioned 60 discount supermarkets was not excellent news for Irish towns and villages.A report by economist Jim Energy had shown that a euro spent within a locally owned shop was worth 3 instances greater than 1 spent within a British or German chain. In the end in the day their income go back to Germany or the UK.Lidl’s share in the discount industry in the North has risen significantly over the years although surprisingly the business has not been challenged in that marketplace by Aldi. That business lately confirmed that its planned £600 million expansion in the UK - it is to open another 550 outlets - will not contain Northern Ireland.Meanwhile, Tesco continues to be mulling more than the long delayed megastore planned for Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in west Dublin. It has denied it is to be abandoned just like 49 other supermarket projects inside the UK.Preparing permission for the shop was granted by An Bord Plean?la in June 2016 and, according to an official spokesperson, the company is "working through preparing compliance using the nearby authority and as such a commencement date for the improvement has not but been finalised".