6:30am Wednesday 19th November 2008
By Kerry Grove
Tesco has promised to completely remodel Tolworth roundabout and will build a five-storey community centre, if plans to be officially unveiled this weekend get the nod.
The supermarket giant has released the first artists’ impression of the controversial new Tesco supermarket and flats, which the company hopes to build in Tolworth by 2013.
The designs are being previewed at a special exhibition this weekend, to give residents the chance to have their say before Tesco submits a planning application next month.
The supermarket chain withdrew its last planning application in February 2007 after a fierce backlash from residents.
Bosses now hope the revised plan will win public support.
The number of homes on the former Ministry of Defence site has since been scaled back from 660 to 564, the heights of the apartment blocks have been reduced, a five-storey community centre will be built on the site and the nearby A3 roundabout would be completely remodelled.
The green bridge planned in the first application has been dropped in favour of a more orthodox pedestrian bridge.
But a new “through-a-bout” design for Tolworth roundabout, which would have two extra lanes crossing the middle to ease traffic congestion, has been met with some suspicion.
Tolworth councillor Rob Lee said extra car journeys to the store every day would bring an additional car every seven seconds to the already-congested roundabout.
He added: “Tesco could potentially make Tolworth a no-go area for people, which is scary. It would mean the rush hour is extended into non-rush hour time.”
James Wiggam, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said computer simulations have shown the new through-a-bout would mean extra traffic has “nil detriment” on congestion and “at off-peak times it would bring an improvement to the traffic flow”.
The new supermarket, which at 60,000 sq ft is two-thirds the size of the New Malden store two-and-a-half miles away, would be completed by early 2013 if given planning permission by the council.
Tesco would not be deterred by the economic slowdown and could afford to start work immediately, Mr Wiggam said.
It was initially hoped a leisure centre would be built on the site, but this idea was likely to be scrapped because Tesco could not be sure the council or Kingston University would be able to run it.
Tesco bosses want to hear ideas on how the community building should be used and if local groups would rent it as a meeting space.
A traffic pollution survey is currently being done and Mr Wiggam accepted that if the levels were already above legal limits it was something the council would have to weigh up when making its decision.
• The plans are on show at Your Move, 142-146 Tolworth Broadway, on Friday, November 21, from 3pm to 8pm and Saturday, November 22, from 10am to 4pm.
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