Top-end commercial property will "always be in demand", regardless of economic conditions, it has been claimed.

Following on from around a decade's worth of uninterrupted growth, the UK commercial property market has recorded notable losses over the past few months, with many observers feeling that the decline is likely to continue into the start of 2009.

But, the British Property Federation (BPF) has argued that demand at the top end of the commercial property sector will remain relatively steady as there will always be businesses looking to expand their operations.

However, according to Andrew Teacher, head of media at the BPF, this strength could be undermined should the government continue with its policy of taxing empty buildings.

"Prime property will always be in demand but what the government is doing with empty rates is harming the supply of secondary property," Mr Teachers noted.

The comments come as a number of international property and infrastructure groups line up bids for Gatwick, with current owner BAA believed to value London's second-busiest airport at £3 billion.