DISTRICT councillors are still hopping mad that a shed is going to ruin plans to redevelop High Wycombe Railway Station.

The shed is the Isambard Kingdom Brunel station built in Victoria's reign and now used as a tyre depot.

It has been listed for its historical significance and the redevelopment will have to take place around it.

Wycombe District Council plans to improve the whole station area, creating a better approach for people arriving in the town, and to build a new road along the side of the railway to be used as a dedicated busway from the station to join London Road near Spring Gardens.

At last month's planning, environment and transportation committee (PET), Labour councillor Anthea Hardy hit out at rail fans who had got the building listed.

And she returned to the attack at Monday's meeting of the full council.

"Until I spoke at the PET committee, I didn't realise how much support I would get," she said.

She suggested the council should put in its own planning application to knock the building down. If they did not, then the whole of the magnificent planned square would be wasted because there would be a "monstrosity" in the middle.

She got support from Conservative councillor Tony Dunn and from Cllr Clare Martens (Lab), who said: "We mustn't take this lying down."

"It's one of those concessions to the past that this country is so good at. But there are many better things we could keep and spend our money on rather than a shed in the middle of the station."

But Chris Oliver, chairman of the PET committee, said: "It is an exaggeration to say it will cost money. The architects will come up with a magnificent scheme for incorporating the listed building."