Now in its 19th year, Market Insite is the annual research presentation series delivered by CPN member Innes England, covering the Midlands from offices in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Birmingham.
Led by Agency and Development Director at Innes England, Nick Hosking, the events bring together 400 landlords, investors, developers and property professionals each year to review market performance over the past 12 months and offer forecasts for the year ahead.
This blog by Nick builds on the presentations, offering further commentary and insight into the trends shaping the regional commercial property market:
Every year at Innes England, we invest time, insight and thought leadership into Market Insite because understanding commercial property trends isn’t just about looking back, it’s about preparing for what’s ahead.
Now that the 2026 events have concluded across Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham and Derby, it’s a great moment to reflect on why Market Insite has become such an important fixture in the Midlands commercial property calendar and what we took from this year’s research and discussions.
A consistent and engaged audience, but still evolving
Over nearly two decades, the audience for Market Insite has stayed largely consistent; property investors, occupiers, developers, agents and advisors, but their needs have shifted. What hasn’t changed is the desire for well-researched, data-driven insight paired with candid market commentary.
We see familiar faces every year, which speaks to the value attendees find in our approach. People come back because they know we don’t just present data. We explain what it means for decisions in the year ahead. The engagement at this year’s venues, including three with overbooked attendance before the events even began reminded us that human interaction and expert interpretation are as relevant now as they ever were.
Why we run Market Insite — It’s about strategy, not snapshots
Market Insite isn’t simply a round-up of statistics. It’s a deliberate effort to:
Bring clarity to complex conditions: With shifting economic dynamics, occupier behaviour changes and investment flows still adjusting, our goal is to help audiences interpret why trends are happening, not just what is happening.
Offer actual regional detail: By touring four venues, we mirror the geography of the markets we cover and bring local nuance to the broader picture.
Contextualise data with expert economic commentary: Although our keynote speaker, Mark Berrisford-Smith, was unable to attend this year due to illness, economist Graeme Leach stepped in to provide valuable macroeconomic context to support the commercial property analysis.
Has the audience changed?
Not fundamentally, but the questions they bring have. There’s now greater curiosity around long-term investment resilience, supply/demand dynamics in industrial vs office space, and what sectors are genuinely attracting capital. This reflects a market that is adapting to broader economic uncertainties, not retreating from them.
How Market Insite is growing
Market Insite has grown steadily over the years — not just in attendance, but in influence.
Events are reaching capacity earlier, and the mix of attendees continues to broaden across sectors and disciplines. At the same time, the report itself has evolved, with deeper data analysis and stronger economic context to reflect the complexity of today’s market.
Growth for us isn’t about scale alone. It’s about relevance.
The numbers that caught my attention
This year’s research highlighted several standout trends:
- Derby Offices – Highest level of take-up for 12 years, with 81% of take-up in Grade B space
- Derby Industrial – Prime Grade A rents increased from £7.25 per sq ft to £10.50 per sq ft over five years
- Nottingham Offices – 30% uplift in take-up over the last 12 months
- Nottingham Industrial – Highest take-up since 2014
- Leicester Industrial – Rents grew by 45% (Grade A) and 38% (Grade B) over five years
- West Midlands – Investment market up by more than 50% year-on-year
- Retail & Roadside – Continued growth in bars and restaurants, rising convenience retailing, and expansion of drive-to / drive-thru formats
These figures reinforce a key point: while market conditions have shifted, activity has not disappeared. It has adapted.
Industrial markets continue to demonstrate structural strength. Secondary office stock remains highly relevant. Retail is evolving, not declining. Investment confidence is returning selectively but decisively.
Looking ahead
Market Insite exists to provide perspective. Markets will always move in cycles, but the long-term fundamentals across the Midlands remain strong.
Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of Market Insite. A milestone that reflects two decades of research, regional analysis and industry engagement. What began as a commitment to sharing insight has grown into a key date in the Midlands commercial property calendar.
To mark the occasion, we are already considering how we can make the 20th year even more impactful — whether that’s expanding the format, enhancing the content, or introducing something new to reflect how the market continues to evolve.
If the 2026 events demonstrated anything, it is that demand for reliable, well-interpreted data remains as strong as ever and we look forward to building on that momentum.
The full Market Insite 2026 Report can be accessed here: https://innes-england.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Market-Insite-Brochure-2026.pdf
If you would like to receive an invitation to next year’s presentations, please email sallara@innes-england.com