AN experienced commercial property executive believes Scotland's two largest cities are steadily getting back on the front foot in terms of office development and attracting tenants.

Bill Colville, UK regional chairman at CBRE, is hopeful a number of major office developments in Glasgow signals a turnaround in confidence in the city.

The sites at 110 Queen Street, the former Odeon cinema at 1 West Regent Street and the Abstract Securities-backed St Vincent Plaza will deliver around 500,000 sq ft of Grade A office space in the coming years.

Mr Colville said: "Normally you would expect development when the take-up of space has been quite significant, but the market in Glasgow has enjoyed very little take-up at the top end.

"There are likely to be a couple of reasonable deals in the next few months that are significant in so far as that will be the first evidence of Grade A take-up in the city for some time.

"It will reduce the number of quality Grade A sites available so for a larger company moving in or moving around the city the options will be limited over the next 12 to 24 months [until the new developments become available]."

Mr Colville, who has been in the commercial property sector for more than three decades, said prospects in Edinburgh were looking better following a number of tough years due to infrastructure problems and fears over what the financial crisis would do to the workforce.

He said: "Edinburgh is emerging quite nicely from a period from when it was on the back foot.

"You are beginning to see, once the trams are finished, the upgrades to the [train] stations are completed and the work on the new crossing over the Forth is done then Edinburgh can be a really attractive place over the course of the next two to three years."

Mr Colville also indicated there was a growing feeling speculative developments could return to Edinburgh in the not too distant future.

He said: "Market sentiment and the sentiment of developers is still cautious. I think whoever moves first in Edinburgh will do particularly well.

"There are a number of developers out there who have the cash, ability and desire to do something in Edinburgh, but there is a lack of good available sites."

Mr Colville said Aberdeen remained one of the UK commercial property hotspots outside London with demand for office space, primarily being driven by the oil and gas sector, running at between £30 and £32 per sq ft.

In comparison, the proposed St Vincent Plaza site in Glasgow is offering rent from £23 a square foot.

Mr Colville highlighted the environmental Breeam ratings as a driver for many companies looking to move premises. He said: "As we continue to see modest [economic] growth coming through, it will put pressure on occupiers to either move at the end of a lease or break options to trade up. Even some buildings developed 10 years ago have gone beyond what is now acceptable in energy performance."