THIS week marks the real start of building works on High Wycombe's new shopping centre. And how it is needed. You don't have to be a town planner to realise Wycombe needs a kick.

It is underdeveloped and ugly but this is not uncommon for many of Britain's old industrial towns. They are all a victim of what I like to call, the "build as many houses while thinking about presentation later" policy.

In other words, as long as we can house people, who cares what the place looks like? You can't just blame authorities. Times were hard after World War Two, and cramming people in and expanding towns were a necessity.

The sad thing is that many towns are still suffering as a result. Red tape and central government have intervened to ensure new developments are damned hard to get passed, while out-of-towners moan that the High Wycombes of this world are an eyesore.

Well sorry! Can I remind these people it wasn't middle class beauty spots such as Marlow or Oxford that got England back on its knees. Yet it is people from these sorts of communities who tell planners to build in places such as Wycombe, Slough and Swindon and not on their "doorstep".

So good luck to Eden. I hope it will put High Wycombe on the map and make the toffs eat their words.