Having worked in the property profession throughout Wyre Forest for almost half a century the changes that have taken place are quite dramatic. There must be greater changes in land use in the last 50 years, except for the industrial and residential development that took place in Victorian times.

I can recall in the 1960’s seeing buildings constructed that I thought would be still in use many years on, but many of these buildings have been demolished and the site re-developed.

With Kidderminster being a one industry town, the dramatic down turn in local carpet industry had a devastating effect on the area and the workforce. I can see it has taken over 30 years for Wyre Forest to be back on the up and up. I wonder how many of the buildings are being constructed both in industrial and retail use today will still be around in 50 years.

Construction methods and building regulations have moved forward dramatically in recent years. The prospect of climate change continues to be headline news, and the construction industry acknowledged at the recent climate change conference that lower carbon emissions in new buildings and energy efficiency would be incorporated even more. This will result in the running costs of factories, offices and shops being reduced further.

Landscaping and space around industrial buildings has become paramount and when comparing modern industrial estates to what were Victorian factories the difference is astonishing. No longer are such properties cramped onto small sites where the building coverage may have been up to 90% of the site area. Now vehicular access and parking accessed through landscaped sites are making not only an attractive development, but also result in a more efficient trading unit, and a more pleasant place in which to work. In many cases natural features are incorporated into such developments and are more appealing to prospective investors.

The rejuvenation of Kidderminster town centre and the construction work currently being undertaken around the town hall will help create a shopping experience, and to incorporate old and new buildings in the town centre is essential so that the historic heritage of the town is retained, but there is a new experience for town centre shopping for both local people and visitors.

Enquiries for commercial and industrial properties are increasing and each development that takes place increases the local workforce. The exodos of labour to other parts of the Midlands may well decline as more modern industries and high tech companies move into the area. Leisure properties will also be in demand and there are prospects, both capital and rental values of all types of commercial property throughout the area will gradually increase.

Valuation of properties has also changed. Valuation tables are no longer appropriate in many cases, as there are many other factors to take into account in arriving at property valuations.