Lidl has overcome local opposition in Wicklow to secure planning for a new Greystones outlet.

An Bord Pleanála has granted the German retail giant permission to replace and expand on an existing Lidl store on the site, despite appeals from the Temple Carrig secondary school, Fine Gael councillor Derek Mitchell and the Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association (RGDATA).

Mitchell had argued that improvements to roads were required to cope with extra traffic. Temple Carrig's case had related to the proposed construction of a McDonald's in close proximity to three schools. The fast food chain's plans were shelved when Lidl opted not to sell the space and use it for the new supermarket instead.

The green light comes a month on from Lidl opening its 150th store in Ireland, with new outlets arriving in Glenageary, County Dublin, and Virginia, Cavan as 2016 came to a close.

Its second store in Tralee is set to open next month, along with a rebuilt outlet in Churchfield, Cork. A Cabra store is under construction and set for a summer opening, while work will begin on a Portmarnock store soon with a late summer or early autumn opening in mind.  

Lidl's Irish expansion plan is costing the retailer €100 million annually.

Kantar Worldpanel's latest supermarket share figures (for the 12 weeks ending December 4th), showed that Lidl increased its sales by 4.3% – ahead of the overall market growth of 3.7%. It currently has an 11.1% share of the Irish market, tied with fierce German rival Aldi.