Campaigners battling Tesco's plans to open a Metro in Ashtead have submitted their objections to Mole Valley Council.

SAVE Ashtead’s Village Environment campaigning group (SAVE) does not oppose having a Tesco on The Street, Ashtead, but believes a lack of parking for shoppers will cause a "parking crisis in the village" and negatively affect the existing car parking spaces in the town.

But Simon Petar, Corporate Affairs Manager at Tesco, said the company has demonstrated there would be sufficient parking spaces available in Ashtead for Tesco users in all situations, including on the store's busiest days, and that it had reached its conclusions using the maximum parking standards required for food retail stores.

He said Tesco’s most recent proposal for the store in February took into account residents’ initial concerns and included a number of changes.

At 684 sqm, it would be a basket-only store with just a front-entrance and 9-10 per cent smaller than previously proposed.

The store would provide off-site parking for staff, arranged through a private provider, and nine on-site parking spaces for residents of the flats which would be built above the shop.

But SAVE believes on-site parking for customers is still essential.

Quentin Armitage, spokesman for SAVE, said: "Tesco has under-estimated the parking need by over 50 per cent and more than 80 additional spaces would approximately be needed to meet the parking need of a store of this size, notwithstanding the fact that this would be a basket only store."

Fellow member Gillian Russell added: "There is a very simple solution - a much smaller, environmentally-friendly store with on-site parking which complements the village and would support local traders.

"If this store was to go ahead it would cause a parking crisis in the village and would threaten the viability of the Peace Memorial Hall which is very often full as there are dozens of events in the hall.

"It is a hub of community of life so it is totally ridiculous that Tesco should come in and use its car park which is nearly always full.

"There will be a negative impact on the groups which use the hall as people would not be able to go to the groups as they would have no where to park."

On the group's parking objections, Mr Petar said: "As part of our application for a Tesco Metro, we have provided a professional and robust Transport Assessment to Mole Valley Council and Surrey County Council.

"Our assessment, based on our vast experience of running stores up and down the country, shows there are sufficient spaces available in all circumstances, including Ashtead's busiest days.

"Our store will be of enormous benefit to The Street with approximately 80 per cent of customers to Tesco also spending time in other shops. This will help rejuvenate The Street."

Miss Russell said that while parking is SAVE’s main concern, is still has other objections.

She said: "The store does not meet the government’s sustainability green standards or the standards set by the local council regarding renewable energy and construction standards.

"The reason the store cannot meet the standards is because the development is too big for the site.

"It could only meet the sustainable targets by having a smaller store and fewer flats above it."

Mr Petar added: "Discussions with Mole Valley Council continue to progress and we are confident that the 2012 scheme will reach a predicted 19 per cent reduction in carbon emissions."

Mole Valley Council is still considering the planning application and no date has been set for it to go before the council.