Vacant retail space could hold the key to doubling the residential population of Glasgow city centre.

The city council has set out ambition plans to increase the number of people living centrally to 40,000 by 2035.

One of the measures is to "re-purpose" empty retail and commercial space to provide new homes.

A draft City Centre Living Strategy puts particular focus on making use of empty upper floors above existing shops.

It says: "The City Centre Living Strategy will enable a sustainable, inclusive, diverse and growing population, supported by a physical and policy environment that enables its liveability objectives."

Population density is considered crucial to the success and sustainability of city centres, according to planners.

Glasgow lags behind other UK centres such as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham in terms of population.

As shops and businesses move out in the face of changing buying habits, many see new residential areas as the salvation for city centres.

The strategy says Glasgow has advantages over cities because of its "vibrancy" and "scale of its shopping leisure and retail facilities".

But its setback is the high number of listed building which provide challenges to new development and conversions.

The draft strategy builds on previous plans to attract professionals, families, down-sizers and students in to the centre.

Services such as schools and open spaces will also be looked at as part of the plans.

Meanwhile, research by property agents Savills in the last two years has revealed unmet demand for city centre housing.

The greatest need was in the Merchant City, Broomielaw and Sauchiehall Districts, according to findings.

A ten-week public consultation on the draft strategy will begin on November 29.