It is clear to me that the UK's shopping places will change considerably over the next decade in the ways they are being designed, built and managed. New schemes will be located in town centres, integrated into their individual urban landscapes, and each will be bespoke to its location with varied, locally relevant, top-quality architecture and a diverse mix of tenants.

The research indicates that these new shopping places are being moulded by a number of forces.

For instance, over the next 10 years, there will be an increasingly strong commercial imperative for retail locations to have a strong point of differentiation if they are to withstand the competition - be it from other shopping places, other channels of shopping (such as online) or alternative pulls on consumer spending such as travel, hobbies, sports and leisure activities.

All retail destinations are going to have to prove increased environmental sustainability.

It will be the most important driver of change in retail property design with a focus on the impact of climate change through energy use. Encouragingly, there is an increasingly clear alignment in respect of what consumers, government, retailers, landlords and developers want in terms of more ethical and sustainable shopping places.

Another factor at the forefront of change is the growing involvement of local communities in the design of new retail places through transparent public consultation, which will inevitably create pride of place. The inclusion of housing, libraries, health and educational facilities as well as entertainment spaces and local independent shops in the retail mix will all help.

However, the positive changes I've outlined above could all be put at risk by amendments to the 'town centres first' planning system as well as by opposition to urban car travel.

This opposition could drive shoppers away from town centres to shop online or out of town.

In the latter case it's clear that the situation cries out for a co-ordinated national approach linking public transport provision with town centre car parking policies, congestion charging and road pricing, while favouring town centre regeneration.

It is up to all of us who have a stake- holding or an interest in our shopping places, for both today and the future, to take the positive action and lessons that the research outlines and highlights.

Michael Green, chief executive, BCSC

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