Stiles Harold Williams has been named the most active national agent in the Sussex area for the second year.

Oakley Commercial was the most active regional agent.

The results, from the web site egi.co.uk, part of the Estates Gazette Group, are based on the number of deals, no matter how large or small, for all types of commercial property, submitted by each agent over the last year.

According to the EGi deals database, the number of property transactions in Sussex has decreased by almost 20 per cent in the past two years.

In the last 12 months, about 40 per cent of deals have been in the retail sector, compared with 30 per cent in the office sector and 20 per cent in the industrial sector.

Both Stiles Harold Williams and Oakley Commercial were dominant in the office market with most other deals in the retail sector.

Regional chairman of Stiles Harold Williams Nick Bradbeer said: "Despite the total number of property deals decreasing in the past, certain sectors, such as retail, have proved to be resilient and are showing signs of growth."

There has also been a trend towards more mixed-use developments, including Cuckfield Group's City Park scheme.

This £65m development on the site of the former Alliance and Leicester building in Orchard Road, Hove, will include three office buildings, totalling 200,000sqft, and 65 homes.