Swathes of sunseekers famously swarmed the shores of Dorset during lockdown but the key to the resilience of the commercial property market in Thomas Hardy county lay further inland where advanced manufacturing companies are taking space for surprisingly high-tec projects, reveals Sibbett Gregory agency director Alastair Knott.

Sibbett Gregory currently tops the Radius On Demand Rankings for Dorset, with 62,952 sq ft of space transacted across 24 deals, which puts it comfortably ahead of the rest of the county’s Radius market. Key to this success has been industrial lettings and these are being boosted through partnerships with the Ministry Of Defence which is looking for private enterprise to drive technological innovation.

But the region’s beaches, boats and rolling hills are also able to offer a quality of lifestyle which is a major pull to occupiers and has helped lead to the Bournemouth conurbation earning the nickname Silicon South thanks to its concentration of digital and creative companies, particularly in the advertising and marketing sectors.

All of which leaves Dorset well positioned for post-pandemic growth although connectivity, particularly the road links with the rest of the South West, is an area of concern.