Tesco’s latest plans to redevelop the old Toby Jug site in Tolworth have been met with more opposition.

Residents and councillors were virtually unanimous in their opposition to a supermarket, hotel, and three blocks of flats plus parking spaces being built.

The exhaustive list of objections raised at a south of the borough neighbourhood meeting on Wednesday night included greater pollution, unbearable extra traffic, and that the proposed flats were too tall.

Princes Avenue resident Roger Foster said that already “all I can taste is fumes.”

Elmcroft Drive resident Mike Hoare agreed: “I can smell the A3 – I don’t need a measuring machine. Pollution is already out of control.”

Ann Brown from the Kingston Society called the proposed blocks of flats “quite alien” to the area.

A lone voice in support said the development would provide jobs for the area’s unemployed.

Surrey Comet:

Tolworth and Hook Rise councillor Vicki Harris said: “People are not going to walk to that store to do their weekly shop.

"They are going to drive. Let's live in the real world here.”

Coun Sharon Hartley said: “I want this area developed, personally.

“I’m just disappointed. This is a missed opportunity by them because they didn’t listen to what councillors said to them a long time ago.”

Chessington North councillor Alan Dean opposed the scheme but said: “Housing, I would be very much in favour of on an unused site.”

Edward Davey, Kingston and Surbiton MP, has also relaunched his Every Little Hurts campaign, based on Tesco’s slogan.

Surrey Comet:

No one representing Tesco spoke during the meeting.

A spokesman said today: “The new development in will bring hundreds of new local jobs and also provide greater choice that is close to where people live.

“The added convenience of the proposed development will help keep people from driving further away and help encourage the growth of other nearby businesses.

“We want to continue to work with the community to make sure this is a useful redevelopment for the area and look forward to bringing it to committee next month.”

The issue is up for discussion again next Wednesday evening at a meeting in Dysart School, ahead of Kingston Council's development control committee’s final decision on Friday, February 7.

 

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