IF the £125m extension of Didcot’s Orchard Centre was good news, the redevelopment of the heart of Abingdon is a fantastic announcement.

Abingdon as a retail area has been crying out for work on the Charter area and the Abbey Shopping Centre for what feels like decades.

Under the plan, the Charter area will get a supermarket as an anchor point with an overall overhaul.

Two new large shops will be going into the Abbey shopping precinct and some of the existing units will be converted into bigger stores.

Of course we have had positive announcements for Abingdon in the past, only to see it stall, but Vale of White Horse District Council’s announcement looks to be on solid ground.

For several years we have looked at the state of Abingdon with a sense of dread. It is a great town but so badly let down by its retail sector as a whole. That is not a criticism of the traders but of the general feeling around much of it.

But it now shines the spotlight on Oxford’s stalled city scheme more than ever.

Look at our market towns. Witney is a gem, Didcot and Abingdon are now under starter’s orders for a great new future, Bicester’s is being worked on, while Wantage and Wallingford have their charms.

Why can’t Oxford get on the bandwagon?