SUPERMARKET giants are set to go head to head in the battle for Dorking shoppers' custom.
In South Street, Waitrose is set to close on April 17 and will almost double in size for an opening in Summer 2014.
Meanwhile, European discount supermarket Lidl will begin work on a run-down Dorking site on Vincent Lane at the end of March with a planned opening date for the end of August.
A temporary Waitrose site will open on April 18 in place of three furniture shops in North Street by Halifax bank.
But while the developments are welcome to some, others fear large supermarkets could end up dominating Dorking's shopping scene.
Dorking and Holmwoods county councillor Stephen Cooksey said: "This divides the community massively – for those who want a large supermarket and those who don't want supermarkets to take over our lives."
Before Lidl opens, Mr Cooksey insisted a lot must be done before work kick-starts on the one-way Vincent Lane road to satisfy residents.
He said: "It requires a pelican crossing, a bus-stop and a traffic order to be advertised."
But Dorking South Mole Valley District councillor Margaret Cooksey said she hopes the new ventures will pull shoppers back into town.
"We need to bring back shoppers who go off to Reigate, Cobham and Tesco in Leatherhead," she said.
Once revamped, the 52-year-old South Street site will increase from 9,000 square feet to 23,700 square feet.
Manager Andrew Hunn said: "It's very exciting to be making a significant investment in the town centre that secures our future in Dorking."
He further thanked locals for their patience.
A Lidl spokesman said on Tuesday: "Lidl are very much looking forward to bringing our quality range to Dorking and welcoming new customers from the local area to shop with us."
While Lidl and Waitrose are well underway, a Tesco Express is also set to replace Frankie and Benny's restaurant on Reigate Road this summer.
