After three years of waiting, Tolworth residents have finally seen what the UK's biggest supermarket chain has in store for them.

Tesco has officially unveiled the first artists' impression of a massive mixed-use development, including more than 800 flats, a 60,000 square foot store and other shop space in Hook Rise South.

The retail giant, which has a £30billion-a-year turnover, gave outline indication of plans in March of last year, and has now released a detailed breakdown of the scheme, called The Bridge.

The proposed development would be on the 9.5 acre former Ministry of Defence brownfield site bordering the A3, and includes a landmark "green bridge" a paved and planted walkway, complete with airport-style travelator, linking the station and Tolworth Broadway.

The development will include 835 flats, over three-times more than Kingston's Charter Quay, with 40 per cent earmarked as affordable housing exactly the council's 2005/6 affordable housing provision target.

Katherine Edwards from Tesco said: "We are delighted to reveal our ideas for this important area.

"Tesco has an excellent record of encouraging regeneration and this scheme will help Tolworth to thrive and become a flourishing centre for business, retail and the community."

In a recent YouGov brand indexing exercise, Tesco scored top of all the UK supermarkets, but those polled scored its corporate reputation second lowest of the five biggest chains.

Public exhibitions took place last weekend and residents the Comet spoke to were largely positive, although some were immediately sceptical about Tesco's intentions.

High on residents' wish-lists were improved leisure facilities, public transport improvements and a full traffic impact survey.

Adjacent to Tolworth Station there are plans for a new public transport interchange, including bus lanes, junction improvements, a taxi drop-off point, new bus stops and shelters.

Councillors and retailers also want a full assessment to examine the impact such a scheme will have on smaller Broadway retailers. A Tesco spokesman said: "We have been working on the plan for three-plus years and this is the start of the long planning process really.

"We have been talking to stakeholders for some time and now we are talking to residents."

The company bought the site in 2002 and has, alongside planning consultant Cushman & Wakefield, been working on an application ever since.

It expects to formally submit a planning application in six weeks.