A MULTI-MILLION pound makeover plan for Abingdon's dated Guildhall has won planning permission.

Vale of White Horse District Council planning chairman Robert Sharp approved the £2.1m scheme on Thursday night after years of wrangling over the new design.

Abingdon Town Council, which owns the 1960s building in Abbey Close, now hopes to start building work later this year.

Council leader Mike Badcock said it was "great news" but he also said it was not entirely out of the blue.

He said: "We were expecting this: we had long talks with the neighbours beforehand, they were party to some of the changes.

"We made certain we got it right this time."

The revamp includes a new glass-fronted cafe and bar area and modernised communal areas for functions, plus a screening area with foldaway chairs.

Bike racks, greenery and blue and pink feature lighting are also included in the plans and the Guildhall will get improved access for the disabled and for pushchairs.

Long-held hopes that a new commercial cinema could be opened were abandoned in the latest version of the scheme, but Mr Badcock said the new hall would definitely contain "audiovisual facilities of cinema quality".

Dennis Garrett, chairman of the town council's Guildhall committee, said the new facility would be "a revitalised public amenity providing facilities and events which we hope will appeal to a broad section of the town".

The council is hoping that Abingdon College and District Film Society would help show films at the revamped hall.