THE sale of the Brunel Centre remains the key to bringing out Swindon's untapped potential.

That's the view of Andrew Kilpatrick of Thompsons commercial property consultants in Commercial Road.

Mr Kilpatrick contributes to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors property survey, which takes the temperature of the market throughout the year.

Nationally, it found that there is the greatest demand for offices since the stockmarket peak in 2000.

A large reason for this is that rising interest rates and high debt levels have put the pinch on the high street, so retailers are looking for lower overheads in out-of-town areas.

But office demand is a separate story, and has grown for 15 months.

Speaking about the office situation in Swindon, Mr Kilpat-rick said: "Two large lettings at the end of 2004 lit up Swindon's town centre office market."

"These were Heath Lambert's acquisition of 33,000sq ft at Focal Point and Scott Wilson's acquisition of 25,235 sq ft at Tricentre 3, the largest lettings seen in the town centre for some years.

"In the industrial and distribution sector, the last quarter was generally static, with occupiers generally cautious about taking on new floor space.

"However, demand for freehold and investment property continues to be buoyant, although good investment properties continue to be hard to find."

And on the retail side, Mr Kilpatrick said: "In Swindon a collective breath is being held that the proposed Brunel Centre sale is successful and attracts a new owner who is ready, willing and able to breathe new life into the old town centre and realise Swindon's untapped potential."

Across the west there is the same picture as in Swindon, with surveyors from nearby towns and cities including Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucester reporting a healthy office market but a less happy situation on the high street.

The Brunel Centre was put on the market by Westfield Shopping Centres for £125 million in December and at the moment six companies have put in bids for it.