Tesco will create 300 new jobs if it is granted permission to build a store in Epsom's Upper High Street – but first it has to pass the Harry Potter test.

People living near the Odeon cinema in Upper High Street say the road gets jammed with cars every time a Harry Potter film is shown, and they are expecting more traffic congestion with the latest film hitting the screens at the start of the summer holidays.

If the Upper High Street car park cannot cope with the demand for spaces when parents ferry Potter fans to the cinema, residents will demand a close look at the Tesco plans and whether the supermarket, with its proposed 396 parking spaces, will make traffic congestion worse.

Tesco says its plan to build a 45,000 sq ft supermarket with space for smaller shops, 18 apartments and parking spaces will give the town a boost.

But to go ahead it will need to do a deal with Epsom and Ewell Council to take over the Upper High Street car park for the development, while providing parking, probably underneath the store, for shoppers and for other town centre users.

Tesco corporate affairs manager James Wiggam said: “We are aware the trading climate is tough for many retailers in Epsom, and particularly in the Upper High Street.

“We believe our proposal represents a major opportunity to revitalise this part of the town, bringing shoppers back and providing an additional shopping offer for locals.

“We know the site is a sensitive one and we have taken great care to come up with a design for the scheme which will fit in with the rest of Epsom.”

Tesco is holding a three-day public exhibition of the proposals at the library concourse at the Ebbisham Centre, Epsom, from today (Thursday, July 16) until Saturday, July 18.

Members of a campaigning group who fought off former plans to build a hypermarket on the site will be attending the exhibition and will be examining the proposals closely.

Campaigner Ian Hosking said: “Traffic has increased considerably in the Upper High Street.

“It will be interesting to see what happens with the Harry Potter film.

"When other Harry Potter films have been shown, cars have been parked down the street.

“We need to know the situation is not going to get worse if Tesco opens – that it is not going to become a complete logjam.”

To confuse the situation, this week’s meeting of the planning committee is to consider renewing an existing planning permission for the site, which includes 73 residential units, shops, parking and a car dealership.

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