Plans to make West Quay Retail Park "radically different" are underway with a bid to regenerate the site with more than just shops.

Southampton City Council's cabinet will on Tuesday consider plans to change the current lease to allow "schemes other than retail".

The area currently includes outlets including Decathlon, JD and Argos. Details of the changes are currently confidential.

Cllr Sarah Bogle - the council's economic cabinet member - said: "This is very much a first step in a journey around that part of the city to make it more viable."

Cllr Bogle added: "We are looking to enable regeneration in that part of the city on the long term. It is all to help realise potential.

"That area of the city is definitely not as successful as it used to be so we are hoping to see some quite major development over the long term.

"The long-term goal is to try and grow the city and develop areas that could be much more successful.

"I think it is no secret that that area will probably be quite radically different in the next decade."

READ MORE: Why Red Funnel vehicle ferry is moving to temporary terminal

West Quay Retail Park (Image: Newsquest) Councillors have been recommended to approve changes for the existing 150-year lease, which has been held by Aviva since October 1, 1994.

Asked why the area is not as popular, Cllr Bogle added: "I think it is all part of the trends around retail. It is changing quite significantly.

"Southampton is no different to anywhere else. People order online more.

"These were built quite a long time ago. The whole way people shop has really changed especially since the pandemic."

The area includes two terraces of retail warehouses and a separate unit on an island site.

This includes Mamas & Papas and the coach station as well as a car park and access roads.

Reacting to the potential regeneration of the retail park, shopper Lorenzo Barros, 31, said: "I think it's always quite busy here when you see elsewhere shops are closing.

"I think in the city centre there will always be a demand for new homes and things like that."

Another shopper, who did not want to be named, said: "I think there's a lot here and I'd be disappointed if the shops were replaced as there aren't many other places like this in Southampton that's easy to get to."

Simon Lu, 27, added: "I like Decathlon, if that's not here anymore there will be less places to go and West Quay Shopping Centre will be a lot busier."