Tolworth Broadway is split down the middle on Tesco’s plans for a massive new development.

You can add your vote in our poll at the bottom of this article

The Surrey Comet asked 50 people in Tolworth what they thought of the chain’s plans to build a new supermarket, hotel, and flats on the old Toby Jug site near Charrington Bowl.

There were 24 people in favour, 21 against, and five undecided.

Below is what some of them said.

The plans are up for discussion at tonight’s south of the borough committee meeting at 7.30pm, at Southborough High School.

Kingston Council’s development control committee will have the final say on the proposal at a meeting on Friday, February 7 at the Guildhall.

Surrey Comet:

John Harper, 80, retired, from Kingston: “We’re congested enough as it is. Just getting around this round about alone – what are they going to do about it?

“It’s going to be colossal there and there’s no underpass there no nothing. You come here from Ewell, I travel up that way, there’s always a queue there getting round the roundabout.

“When they were doing all this work here [on the Greenway], it was murder, you used to be parked half way down the A3 there.”

Surrey Comet:

Elizabeth Burton, 46, sales assistant, from Tolworth: “I don’t really like the idea, to be honest with you. If they’re going to build anything there they should build a mini mall and bring some of the business from Kingston to here.

“I think it’ll draw a lot more people into this area and I feel that jobs in Tolworth could go there.”

“I think it’s just going to be a highway and it’s already a busy, busy road and we don’t need more traffic or anything like that here.”

Surrey Comet:

Paul Nimoh, 77, retired, from Surbiton: “In my opinion, the area does need it. It’s accessible to get to.

“Traffic wise, even now it is so congested about 5pm it takes about an hour to get through the roundabout. Personally I don’t mind, you’ll get by. I do drive, but I don’t mind.

“The parking on the sides of the roads [at the moment] makes congestion worse, especially in the evening at 5pm.”

Surrey Comet:

Amr Roshdy, 19, student, from Tolworth: “It will be helpful for the population living here and it will give them more choices, a variety of things.”

“It’s organised well here, it’s not chaos at all, it’s good. It’s a bit crowded but it’s organised well – the traffic lights, the bus stops, and everything, so it will not be a problem at all.”

Surrey Comet:

Jeanette Thornton, 74, retired, from West Ewell: “I know a lot of people, my sister in law who lives just down the road, she is very happy because she doesn’t drive and she says it’ll be very handy for her.

“But I know a lot of the local people are against it.

“I’m middling – I’m not for it but I’m not violently against it.”

Surrey Comet:

Vera Lawrence, pensioner, from Tolworth: “It would be so convenient for me and take me 10 minutes to walk there. I don’t think it will [bring more traffic and pollution to the area], because the stuff that’s going to the other Tesco in New Malden will come here, so you won’t get the congestion, it will be spread out more evenly.

“The restaurant and cafe won’t affect me so much, but I might go just for a coffee.

“There’s more variety at Tesco, but I do like M&S and I use it now. I think I’ll continue to go to both of them.”

What do you think? Write to letters@surreycomet.co.uk or vote in our poll below.


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