The owners of the troubled Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, at Quarryvale in west Dublin, have lodged a planning application to more than double the size of the complex to over 500,000 sq. ft. If permission is granted to add a further 254,360 sq. ft of retail space, the complex will be around the same size as Blanchardstown Town Centre. It is planned to have 35 individual shops and two kiosks in the new space. Permission is also being sought for a stand-alone foodstore with a floor area of 57,619 sq. ft and a selling space of 32,291 sq. ft. There will also be a one-stop shop for local services. The owners will obviously be hoping to broaden the appeal of Liffey Valley by increasing the range of traders. The absence of a conventional supermarket from the centre has greatly reduced the number of shoppers, particularly during the early part of the week. Some experts question whether the UK concept of having a stand-alone supermarket rather than one linked into the main shopping centre will work in Dublin. They argue that by having a separate grocery store, many shoppers may not pay frequent visits to the main centre.