A glimpse into the future of high street shopping centres is being considered in the North West - but it could also soon be heading to Gloucestershire.

Plans to redevelop a former House of Fraser site in Altrincham have been submitted that will see a huge three-story retail outlet transformed.

Instead of the 60,000 sq ft department store, a new mixed-use proposal has been put forward, with a mixture of retail, office and residential space in the proposal.

How does that affect Gloucestershire, you ask?

Well, aside from a huge House of Fraser site adorning a prime spot on Cheltenham's Promenade, that could yet follow the idea - it's also something that is a very real possibility in Gloucester.

At the Eastgate Shopping Centre, the UK Digital Retail Innovation Centre (UK:DRIC) are already occupying the first floor formerly used by cafés, restaurants and shops.

UK:DRIC was set-up to lead research into the future of retail all over the country. It has conference rooms, office and shared space for those developing plans to make town centres focal points.

Gloucester City Council's own Economic Growth Strategy for 2018-2021 also mentions the need for a greater city centre mix - with office and residential spaces being added to the high street.

Whereas leisure shoppers are more inclined to go to out-of-town shopping centres for their retail fix - having a community quite literally on the doorstep is vital for the future of high streets.

Having businesses and their employees and residents to serve with the right mix of leisure and retail is key and it appears the idea is catching on.

So while news of a development in Altrincham may seem a little remote, it's something that could well be appearing on our doorstep for us to embrace in the very near future.

What do you think the future for the High Street is? Contact us via mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk