Take up across the 20 key centres monitored stood at 5.2 million sf in the year to July 2002, against 4.3 million sf in the previous 12 months. The figure was boosted by several major deals including Royal Bank of Scotland's acquisition of 350,000 sf at Brindleyplace in Birmingham and the Lord Chancellor's Department's pre-letting of 260,000 sf in Spinningfields, Manchester.
Guy Grantham, Head of Regional Research for Atis Real Weatheralls, said: "The UK's key regional centres have shrugged off the downturn experienced in London and the South East, driven by strong demand for good quality product."
In Birmingham, office rents have risen by around 120% in the past year, but the firm expects rents to remain static in all centres for the rest of 2002, with modest increases forecast for 2002.
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