EDEN has now taken its place in the heart of High Wycombe, as the network of steel frames and open spaces slowly evolve into the forthcoming retail and leisure hub.

The new four-storey House of Fraser is now identifiable as it takes its place in the centre of the development.

Marks & Spencer, the second anchor store, which is definable by its cylindrical drum, sits next to the new bus station on Bridge Street.

Above Marks & Spencer sits the framework that will house the 12-screen Cineworld. The floors and tiered seating are already in place for the cinema, which will include a VIP bar.

As the new bus station opened two weeks early in August, the speed of construction continues at a rapid rate.

The transport hub now sees some 775 departures and arrivals a day.

In terms of construction, this has enabled the old bus station to be demolished and Temple Street to close, allowing the whole Eden site to open up.

The next phase of construction has started on Desborough Road where enabling works are now complete.

Following this, the foundations for top retailers, such as Zara, Bershka and Next will be built up to form the framework for these popular stores set to form the Eden line up.

The brands will sit beneath a suite of 48 executive apartments with panoramic views across the town.

The most recent activity has been focused on the construction of the new library which will provide a research and leisure facility for the town.

The steel shows the shape of the two-storey building which has emerged next to the Oxford Road roundabout.

Simon Ruck, project manager for Multiplex, said: "The changes on site within the last six months have been incredible. Eden has grown from a simple steel frame to an impressive solid structure - already giving visitors to the town a tantalising glimpse of what is to come.

Activity on site continues at a rapid rate as we reach the midway point in construction, every inch of the complete Eden footprint is a hive of activity."

While work on site pushes forward, the list of national and international retailers is also growing at a rapid rate.

With 16 months before opening, Eden is already nearly 85 per cent let.

Gap, Office, Pumpkin Patch, Accessorise and Monsoon are the latest shops to join the line up while a host of other high profile names are all soon to be confirmed as part of the scheme. These join brands Zara, River Island, New Look, Topshop and Next who are already confirmed as part of Eden.