Mixed-use developments: the key to solving the high street and housing crises?

With news breaking over the last few days of yet another high street stalwart in financial trouble, threatening the closure of numerous stores, the problems faced by the country's high streets show little sign of abating. River Island's recent troubles follow years of general decline on the high street caused by a multitude of factors including the growth of out-of-town retail, on-line competition and the spiralling cost of trading physical retail in our town centres.