Property consultancy Rapleys LLP is predicting more former forecourt sites will be reopened after it secured the sale of a site that had been closed several years ago.

The former Shell site on the High Street in Coleshill, West Midlands, had been vacant for more than four years, but when Rapleys LLP put it on the market there were immediately a number of interested parties.

All were looking to bring the site back into operation as a petrol filling station and following a tight bidding process, a deal was agreed with Certas Energy to take the site.

“The site was the only one in Coleshill itself, and the town had been crying out for a replacement” said Mark Frostick of Rapleys.

“However this is another former site re-opening and illustrates that demand is strong in the market and there is a distinct lack of opportunities. We expect more former sites to be reinstated in the coming year, and of course it is always good to see a site return to the industry rather than being converted into flats or a hand car wash.”