EDEN developers Mulitiplex have welcomed the proposal of a neighbouring shopping development on the fringe of its complex.

London developer Helical Bar has announced plans to build shops, leisure facilities, and homes in nearby Lily's Walk which will see the former wasteland site transformed in a multimillion pound scheme.

The road is just outside Eden's margin and Helical Bar believes it will be able to accommodate those chains that can't get a spot elsewhere in High Wycombe.

This plan has emerged as it is announced there is exactly a year to go before the project is completed in March 2008.

Alan Peach, director of retail development for Multiplex, said Eden was bringing other developers into Wycombe.

He said: "We are pleased to learn that Helical Bar has recognised the development potential that High Wycombe now offers.

"We were always confident that Eden would act as a catalyst for future regeneration in the town centre and Helical Bar's interest in Lily's Walk is testimony to the fact that Wycombe is now on the radar of other UK leading developers and investors. The momentum is clearly building in the town centre with a number of substantial initiatives off the regeneration drawing board actually happening."

Helicar Bar is currently in negotiations with Wycombe District Council before submitting an application.

And Mr Peach said building work was on schedule at Eden, which is currently 85 per cent let.

Shop exteriors are now visible from the ground and building work inside is set to increase.

Based in the heart of the town centre, it will provide around 670,00sqft of retail and leisure space, with new restaurants, stores, a 12-screen cinema, bowling alley, and new library.

Its four-storey House of Fraser, near Desborough Road, and the new two-storey Marks & Spencer, near the bus station in Bridge Street, are having the final touches put to their exteriors.

Two lift shafts are now complete at the House of Fraser and work on the south side of the building has been cleared of scaffolding to reveal the retailer's distinctive brick and glass design.

Multiplex is set to hand over the building to the retailer soon so it can start work on the inside.

Meanwhile, M & S, which will lie below the cinema, has had its escalators complete and work is continuing on the inside behind closed doors.

A grand escalator, which will lead to an arched footbridge between the cinema and bowling alley, has also been installed.

Work on 55 retail units, which will surround a revitalised Tesco and the outside edges of the development, is underway and the steel structures are in place to accommodate retailers.