Office assets were in strong demand at the July Acuitus auction, which raised £48.68 million and obtained an overall success rate of 90 per cent.

The 43,468-sq-ft United House in York, which has permitted development rights for residential conversion, sold for £6.02 million. Of the five lots that sold for more than £2 million, four were office properties.

Richard Auterac, Acuitus auctioneer, says: "There is now serious interest in the regional office sector and it is the subject of concerted buying.

"This is being fuelled partly by the scope for residential development but experienced investors are also seeing that they can buy income-producing properties at good entry yields and also have the prospect of further capital growth through asset management."

Elsewhere in the sale, an Odeon cinema investment in Banbury Cross sold for £2.2 million at a yield of 5.5 per cent, while a prime shop in Romsey let to Superdrug sold for £1.35 million at a yield of 5.1 per cent.