THIS latest bird's eye view of a controversial new department store shows work drawing to a close on the metal-clad building's roof.

THIS latest bird's eye view of a controversial new department store shows work drawing to a close on the metal-clad building's roof.

The image of the Debenhams store on the £100million Arc development in Bury St Edmunds reveals the “clam shell” to be almost complete.

Set to open in spring 2009 as the central store of the shopping, leisure and residential scheme, the building is currently being fitted out.

Although not without its detractors, businesses hope the striking store will be at the forefront of attracting new retailers to the historic market town - best known for timber framed buildings and cobbled streets.

Chris Staples, liaison manager for contractors Taylor Woodrow, said: “It looks most impressive. In the picture you can see the reflective roof, which is designed to keep the flat roof cool.

“Underneath that is a layer of insulation over the corrugation. The shingle area with the walkway is for Debenhams to store plant machinery - like air conditioning units.

“Around the sides there are 2,800 metre square aluminium panels of which only 500 are flat.”

Mr Staples said the construction of the Debenhams building required “a lot of coordination” to realise the design by Hopkins Architects.