The commercial property sector in Leicester remained relatively stable throughout last year and looks set to enjoy a strong 2013, the latest Innes England annual Market Insite report has claimed.
Various experts and professionals attended Leicester Tigers' ground last week to hear the findings of the study, which outlined that a number of development schemes and investment initiatives expected to take off this year will provide the local market with a fresh stimulus.
"Leicestershire saw a solid performance across all sectors in 2012 and is looking forward to an exciting 2013 with the backdrop of several large investments and major schemes which will bring greater opportunity to the market," said Peter Doleman, director of Innes England's Leicester office.
And Mr Doleman also praised the city's mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, for his attempts to improve Leicester's appeal as a business centre by focusing on finding sites for top-end office space.
"The mayor's policy is a very positive thing to see and he is right to promote a policy that allows more flexibility rather than restricting development to an office quarter," he commented.
As the report revealed, while the office market in Leicester saw a 22 per cent decline in take-up last year, this was in line with the average that the city has witnessed over the past decade - and 2013 is expected for be far more positive.
Despite London being the biggest commercial centre in Britain, other areas of the country are becoming increasingly popular as investors look for cheaper opportunities to break into the sector.
So with the forecast being that Leicester will enjoy a strong year, nearby towns and cities will also be hoping to benefit as the scope of the market widens.
Indeed, the increased investment that Manchester has witnessed in recent years is indicative of the trend for looking outside of London where competition and prices are high.
But as the capital continues to offer impressive yields, there are few signs that the popularity of London will decrease given its strength and stability relative to other major cities.