RESIDENTS got a sneak peek of a £5.25m shopping village in the heart of their Didcot housing estate.

Members of Great Western Park Residents' Association (GWPRA) had a chance to see progress being made on the new district centre in the middle of the 3,300 home development on the west side of the town.

The district centre will boast two three-storey apartment blocks with shopping and commercial units on the ground floor.

Work is also well under way on the new 1,078sqm Asda superstore.

In addition Contractor Stepnell is building a single-storey, two-unit retail space as part of Great Western Park's new community hub.

Stepnell senior site manager Andy Brain said: "It was a great pleasure to meet local residents, answer their questions about the construction of this fantastic new 'village' development and give them a VIP tour of the project.

"The scheme is really starting to take shape now and we are delighted with the progress we have been able to make.

"With the window frames all fitted, we are at the stage of hanging doors and putting on the first coat of paint.

"It will not be too long before we will be able to give local residents a sneak preview of the building interiors."

Work began on Great Western Park in 2011 and it is hoped that the district centre will be finished in summer 2018.

The GWPRA committee added: "It was good for our residents to be able to get a sense of how it will look and the types of shops and services we will have on our doorstep.

"We are all looking forward to the grand opening."

It is expected that by 2022 Great Western Park will be completed, with a primary and secondary school, university technical college, a pub, a community centre, sports pitches and a children's nursery in addition to the thousands of homes.

By 2024 the scheme will feature multiple sports pitches and play areas, a park, pavilion, additional community centres, allotments and 48 hectares of open and urban space.