WEAVERS WHARF, Kidderminster's showpiece shopping complex, is up for sale - at an asking price of £61 million.

A commercial property boom has prompted owners, Yorkshire-based Highstone Group, to put the 20-acre retail site on the market.

The company has also placed its Victoria Quarter shopping centre in Leeds and Manchester's 101 Barbirolli Square office development on the market for a combined price, including Weavers Wharf, of £200million.

A spokesman for Highstone's agents, King Sturge, said: "These are probably three of the best prime investments on the UK market at the moment.

"We are expecting significant interests from institutions, property companies and wealthy individuals, both in the UK and abroad."

The Highstone Group, which has its headquarters in Harrogate, told the Yorkshire Post newspaper about its decision to sell earlier this week and announced it would pump cash from the sale into other investment projects, including a planned skyscraper in Leeds.

Chris Dalzell, managing director of Highstone, told the newspaper: "I've been in the industry for 25 years and I don't think I have ever known the enthusiasm there currently is for investing in commercial property.

"The market is very strong at the moment but in terms of the evolution of our business, you can never afford to stand still and we're very fleet of foot as a company and there are other investment and development opportunities."

Weavers Wharf - with its canal and riverside frontages - has received high praise and was awarded the prestigious British Council Shopping Centres Gold Award.

It was officially opened with a royal fanfare two years ago by the Duke of Kent after the concept was first mooted in 1996.

The complex was built to regenerate Wyre Forest's economy by encouraging residents to shop in Kidderminster and lure visitors from outside the district.

Retail giants leasing premises on the town centre site include JJB Sports, Tesco, Next, Marks and Spencer and TK Maxx.

The revamp of the former derelict wasteland created at least 450 permanent retail jobs, in addition to the building and fitting contract work needed to make the scheme a reality.

A £5 million scheme, which will add two more shops alongside the Victorian Slingfield Mill centrepiece and create a restaurant and flats in the disused Piano Building, is under way.