The news that a deal has been struck to start revitalising Abingdon's BuryStreet Precinct, (now to be known as the Abbey Shopping Centre), should bewelcomed, but cautiously. Whilst the precinct is in dire need of investment,and has done for some time, there is still no clear plan for the whole town.Abingdon, along with all of the other towns in the Vale needs anaspirational vision for at least the next decade. So far the district council has failed to develop such a strategy. TakingAbingdon as the example, there are many things that the district council cando to help the vitality of the town. The shopping centre, the Old Gaol, theproposals for large housing developments, and of course the roads (both inthe town centre, and further out). All of these issues and many othersshould be pulled together into one clear vision. We must credit the public with the intelligence of realising that noteverything can be done at once, and the Council and potential investors areall struggling to find the necessary cash at the moment. We need to showhowever that there is a clear vision for the future, something to strive forand a plan of how to achieve it over the long term. What cannot be toleratedis plans for projects such as the Abbey Shopping Centre risking being turnedinto short term fixes which do not get to the core of Abingdon's problems.