TWO supermarket chains have applied for permission to expand their business in Dorking.

Waitrose has formally submitted plans to Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) to expand its South Street store, while Morrisons has applied for planning permission for a new shop in Curtis Road.

An MVDC consultation which ended in April found that 62 per cent of Dorking people favoured Waitrose's plan to expand to 2,500 square metres.

The Waitrose application was recommended for approval by councillors, subject to several conditions, at a meeting held last night as the Advertiser went to press. The application has been amended slightly since the consultation was held.

The front of the shop will now be made up of brick and slate rather than aluminum; access to the car park has been amended; and four car parking spaces have been removed.

The spokesman added: "We are keen to ensure that our plans for the Dorking store reflect the local area and have aimed to respond to the feedback provided."

There have been 300 letters of support for the Waitrose planning application and 16 objections.

The Morrisons application, which will be heard by the council later this year, has also been altered, with the store moved back six metres from the road, the roof height limited to that of existing buildings in the road, and a dedicated parking area for residents.

Lidl and Sainsbury's, which were also included in the council's survey, have not yet submitted applications.