Leading Midland auction house Bigwood is planning bi-monthly auction sales focusing on Stratford and the North Cotswolds next year.

The move to the south follows a run of success of commercial and residential property auctions in Birmingham.

Bigwood and sister firm Bond Wolfe integrated their sales in 2008 and last year sold jointly over £35 million of property. The merger made the two houses the largest residential and commercial property auctioneer outside London.

The Birmingham auctions will now be complemented by regular commercial and residential properties sales at Stratford-upon-Avon's Falcon Hotel.

Simon Gibbs, Bigwood director in charge at Stratford, said: "Every successive Birmingham sale by our firm during 2009 saw an increase in activity in the market, defying the national trend.

"There are indications that the December 10 sale in Birmingham will once again achieve very strong results. The catalogue is now available and comprises 93 lots including large entries from Birmingham and Wolverhampton City Councils.

"There is now compelling evidence confidence has returned to the market in the Midlands with particular interest in investment properties due to low interest rates.

"Many properties in the autumn catalogue did not go under the hammer and were sold pre-auction.

"We are confident that Warwickshire and the North Cotswolds are strong enough in both the residential and commercial property sectors to sustain regular sales of their own and we plan to start in the New Year.

"Our country property auctions at the Falcon Hotel in Stratford organised by my colleague Graham Carter have aroused considerable interest and we will be building on that."

Mr Gibbs said the forthcoming sale of a 3,000 sq ft commercial property in Alcester - now in the catalogue for the December 10 auction at the Holte Suite, Villa Park - was a good example of the opportunities available in Warwickshire.

"Priory Garage is offered as a freehold investment property.

"It has a guide price of £380,000 and a guaranteed rent of £44,000, which equates  to an attractive yield of 11.5 per cent.

"The occupier, Warwickshire 4x4, has a  business lease and the rental is guaranteed by Koelliker UK Ltd, the UK licensed importer for Ssang Yong automobiles.

"In the longer term there is potential for redevelopment of the site - although at the current time it is being sold as an investment."