Business leaders have welcomed an ambitious blueprint to develop the south Oxfordshire economy.

South Oxfordshire District Council's economic development workplan has been praised by the county's Chamber of Commerce for its "positive and creative approach".

The document explores how the retail, farming and tourism sectors can be bolstered and firms established that will create high quality jobs.

A key point is the £30m redevelopment of Didcot town centre, due to be completed in 2004. The council is working with developer Taylor Woodrow and the partners' focus is on regenerating shops. The council's new economic development team hopes to set up a series of enterprise hubs which cluster businesses together.

It has drawn up a business plan in conjunction with local firm HR Wallingford involving Hobury Park in Crowmarsh, which will generate £600,000 of investment from the South East Economic Development Agency.

Council economic development officer Brendon Walsh said: "It's an opportunity to develop Hobury Park. We hope it will stimulate new business growth and create the sort of high quality jobs that are important to this area."

Partnerships have also been established with Business Link and the Thames Business Advice Centre to nurture businesses, while property firm Colliers has been asked to study ways of developing the council's £28m property portfolio. Keith Slater, Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce's economic development group chairman, said: "The council seems to be developing a more positive and creative approach to local concerns and issues that has not always been evident in the past. This is very much to be encouraged."

Other aspects of the council's work include trying to find ways of preserving village shops and pubs and enhancing the county's tourist sector, which a new survey values at £123m a year.