Residents have accused Tesco of "mothballing" a site after it battled three years to get planning permission to build a Metro store there.

Mole Valley councillors gave the go-ahead for a planning application to develop the supermarket on the site of the old Esso, in The Street, Ashtead, in September 2012.

The approval followed opposition from local residents who said they were not against the store, but believed a lack of on-site parking would clog up existing car parking spaces in the village and drive potential customers elsewhere.

But almost 18 months later work has still not begun on the Tesco Metro.

Ashtead Residents’ Association said its members recently met with Beth Greenhouse, corporate affairs manager at Tesco, to discuss the proposed store - but were told that no timeline has been set for the start of the development.

Ms Greenhouse said: "As part of our regular catch-ups I recently met with the Ashtead Residents’ Association to update on our plans for our store.

"While at this stage we do not have timelines for when work on the store will get underway, we will keep the community updated as soon as we do.

"In the meantime we will make sure that the site is kept secure and tidy and will continue to talk regularly to the residents’ association."

Jim Malynn, chairman of the Ashtead Residents’ Association, said the supermarket chain is holding out for the "right time" to develop the site.

He said: "It is obviously disappointing that Tesco do not appear to have any immediate plans to construct the store on the old Esso site.  This will be a concern for residents and traders alike.

"It is ironic that having fought to get planning permission for some three years, the site is now being ‘mothballed’ until Tesco feel the time is right for it to be developed.

"The residents’ association is maintaining good lines of communication with Tesco’s area corporate affairs manager, and through her we have managed to get the site tidied.

"We will continue to liaise with her and must hope that Tesco’s plans change again and allow this site to be developed to bring life back to Ashtead’s main shopping street."