ABSTRACT
Rising unemployment, changing industrial processes and new ways of working have all combined to require a reconsideration by both public and private sector agencies involved in the production of industrial and business development properties in respect of what they build, where and for whom. The 1980s witnessed a transformation in both the location and property requirements of modern industries. Changing market conditions and the restructuring of the UK economy resulted not only in a substantial shift from manufacturing to serviceled growth, but one that was coupled with the increased use of technology, resulting in new demands being placed upon both industrial and business premises. At the same time this was accompanied by organizational changes within key economic sectors and the emergence of a new wave of companies serving rapidly growing markets, both of which had a fundamental impact on the nature of demand for commercial property as a whole. These trends encouraged the creation of high-technology estates and business parks and are predicted to continue so to do as the economy evolves towards the year 2000 (Debenham Tewson Research 1991). In the context of this chapter, much of the material relates equally to industrial and business property.
