District councillors approved a “conditional sale agreement” on Tuesday night, meaning Morrisons will buy the Station Road/Curtis Road depot site if they get planning permission for a store. 

But a public consultation starts next month and three other supermarket options are also in the running – sites in Vincent Lane and St Martin’s Walk are being considered and an existing supermarket in High Street or South Street could be expanded. 

The council owns part of the Curtis Road site, so a provisional sale had to be agreed before it could be considered in the forthcoming consultation. The other possible sites are privately owned. 

And the Morrisons store, which could cover up to 65,000 sq ft, faces opposition from campaigners who say it would drive business out of the town centre and cause traffic chaos. 

Rob Sedgwick, a founding member of Dorking SOS, which opposes supermarket expansion, said: “Dorking is already too elongated, too spread out, and Curtis Road is just so far away from the rest of the shops.” 

He said the town is in need of a larger food store, but local traders need to benefit. 

“A lot of the smaller shops and independent traders might be put out of business,” he said. 

“Money spent in local shops is more likely to stay in the community.” 

Lib Dem councillor Stephen Cooksey said the store could have a “seriously damaging” effect on town-centre traders. 

He said: “It is an out-of-town site, which would attract shoppers to bring their cars directly to the site and leave after their shopping was complete.” 

The provisional deal with Morrisons was agreed by Mole Valley District Council’s executive committee on Tuesday. 

Speaking before the meeting, Councillor Ben Tatham, executive member for finance and assets, said: “People are going off to do their supermarket shopping somewhere else because there isn’t a supermarket that suits them in Dorking. 

“If it is purely a food supermarket, not a giant store selling everything, then there are very few shops in the High Street that will be affected.” 

Once the consultation is complete, the council will choose its favoured site and applications will be invited for that location. 

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Police and fire crews were called to Old Horsham Road in Beare Green at around 12.20am on Sunday, where a silver Vauxhall Zafira had collided with a green Mini Cooper. 

The male driver and a female passenger of the Vauxhall were cut out of the vehicle by fire crews. A male passenger in the same car was able to get out unassisted. 

The two men received treatment for minor injuries but the woman, in her 60s, was taken to East Surrey Hospital by ambulance. 

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said she suffered suspected back and abdomen injuries, though her condition was not thought to be life-threatening. 

It is believed she also suffered a fractured hand and cracked ribs, while the male driver of the Vauxhall experienced pains in his chest. 

A spokeswoman for Surrey Police said: “Following the incident, it is believed the driver of the Mini decamped from the vehicle and witnesses reported seeing two people leaving the scene.” 

Two men, aged 19 and 20, both from Dorking, were arrested in connection with the incident. 

The 19-year-old was released with no further action and the 20-year-old was released on bail until March. 

Anyone who witnessed the collision should contact Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference number P11007585. 

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Marketed By Cubitt & West, Dorking

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Price changed on 16/03/2010 (Previous price: from £215,000)

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Marketed By haart, Dorking

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Price changed on 21/03/2010 (Previous price: £139,950)

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Marketed By Mann Countrywide, Dorking

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Price changed on 06/03/2010 (Previous price: £525,000)

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Marketed By Cubitt & West, Dorking

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Price changed on 07/03/2010 (Previous price: from £250,000)

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Marketed By White & Sons, Dorking

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Price changed on 04/03/2010 (Previous price: £269,950)

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The former headteacher of a Dorking primary school has been found guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct”.

Frederick Mark Jeffery…

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I know what I would do…

1. Pay off mortgage
2. Pay off all outstanding debts
3. Buy new car
4. Maybe look at new house
5. Take advice on how to invest and secure future income

What would you do?

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The four-strong family syndicate from Dorking have…

Congratulations!! So jealuous!

Many people from Dorking now think that their winis getting closer. I personally think it just got further away. Unlikely to get another Dorking lottery winner for some time now.

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