Asda consults residents on Sheerwater store plan

SHEERWATER residents attended a two-day public consultation on plans to open a new Asda store.

The supermarket giant want to open a store at the site of Wandsworth electrical building in Albert Drive by October 2013.

Residents have been told the new store will offer 400 permanent and part time jobs in the community.

It will help provide a new link road into Sheerwater and will support other regeneration plans for the town.

The store will cover 82,000ft of which 40,000ft will be the selling area with parking underneath and surrounding the store.

The existing Asda store in Lion Retail Park will remain open.

Residents got to see the plans for the first time and talked to Asda representatives at a consultation held at Bishop David Brown school on September 7-8.

Guy Price, Asda's new stores manager, said:  "The feedback has been incredibly supportive. I don't think I have been involved in a consultation that has been as supportive as this. 

"I think the benefits of training and the jobs has been welcomed across the community in an area which does have a shortage of job opportunities at the moment."

A planning application is due to be submitted to Woking Borough Council by the end of September with a view to getting approval before the end of the year.

Wandsworth has said it hopes to relocate to a new premises at the Woking Business Park in the New Year.

Some residents have raised concerns about the extra volume of traffic entering Sheerwater to get to the store.

Asda has promised deliveries by heavy goods vehicles will travel to the store via Monument Hill and not  West Byfleet in order to minimise traffic disruptions.

Mr Price said: "A number of comments have been that the [Wandsworth]  site is currently an eyesore. It needs redevelopment. 

"There are buildings on the site that have been boarded up for many years because of asbestos problems. They are keen to see the site redeveloped.

"There have been concerns about traffic generation particularly HGVs but we have given them a guarantee that heavy goods vehicles will enter from the Monument Hill side of the town and will not be travelling from West Byfleet."

Anthony Bunt of Bunyard drive said he approved of the plans.

He said: "As far as Sheerwater is concerned I think it's a good thing especially as it will mean 400 new jobs."

And Garry Middleton, of Albert Drive, said: "It looks OK but my main concern is if they open this store will the one in the Lion Retail Park be closed?"