Abingdon town centre is a step closer to a £53m revamp after plans to redevelop the main shopping precinct were lodged.

The plans are the start of what is seen as the most significant development in the town for decades.

Developer Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has applied to Vale of White Horse District Council to demolish five units in the Abbey Shopping Centre and build two large two-storey shops.

The shops would replace five units between the Boots store and the main square.

The plans are the first phase of the town centre redevelopment and would also see the facades of units on both sides of the precinct from Costa to Santander refurbished, with pitched roofs added.

Redeveloping the precinct has been mooted for more than 20 years but plans have never got to this stage.

Work could start next year if planning permission is granted.

The second phase of the scheme is the proposed £50m total redevelopment of The Charter area, which would create a large supermarket, more shops, and a car park with about 400 spaces.

The planning application, which was submitted last week, is damning in its verdict of the current precinct.

It points to “significant shortcomings in Abingdon” and “the weakness at the core of the town centre”. It adds: “There is little to define the centre which has small-format retailers that do little to create a social heart.

“Whereas many small towns have such small shops and restaurants on the edge of the town centre, Abindgon struggles to support these uses in any meaningful way.

“This lack of fundamental elements reduces the attraction of the area.”

Abingdon Chamber of Commerce president Paul Townsend said the move was the “start of better things”. He said: “As long as they see it through, it will be good.”

Peter Wiblin, owner of West End Newsagents, said: “It is good to make progress, but there is lot to be resolved. It has to be right for the developer, the new tenants, and the people of Abingdon.”

His store would be demolished as part of this initial phase of the work.

Council leader Matthew Barber also welcomed the application.

He said: “It has been talked about for a long time. It is great to finally have the planning application in. We will now be looking at it in detail.

Consultation on the planning application ends on October 26 and the council hopes to make a decision by December 25. Vale of White Horse District Council’s public consultation on two options for the regeneration – one with a medium-sized supermarket and one with a store around the same size as the large Tesco Extra at Marcham Road – finished on September 23.

There’s no estimated date for the application on the second phase.