Hampshire is a ceremonial county in South East England, facing the Isle of Wight across the Solent, with an estimated population of 1,920,959 in 2024. Southampton is its largest settlement and Portsmouth sits in the south-east, both part of one conurbation. A second built-up area around Farnborough and Aldershot runs into Berkshire and Surrey, while Basingstoke, Andover and the city of Winchester anchor a largely rural interior. Wikipedia calls it one of the most affluent counties in the country, with GDP of £29 billion excluding the two port cities.
We are a broker. We arrange business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from anywhere in Hampshire, and we never lend. This is finance secured on your company's commercial building, not a residential mortgage, and we take the case to the lenders whose criteria fit it.
Which premises do Hampshire, England firms buy with an owner-occupier mortgage?
The county has a considerably higher than national average share of employment in high-tech industries. IBM runs research and development laboratories at Hursley and its UK headquarters at Cosham, and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has its head office at Farnborough, where the Farnborough International Airshow brings aerospace and defence trade every other July. Those clusters create demand from engineering, software and specialist suppliers for offices, labs and clean industrial units.
Tourism accounts for some 60,000 jobs, about 9% of the total, spread through the New Forest, the South Downs and the three cities. Hotels, pubs, attractions and holiday businesses buying their own sites are trading businesses, which lenders typically price at an indicative 7.0 to 9.0% a year. Rural areas add farm diversification, quarry and aggregates operators, and food businesses. Our owner-occupier mortgage page sets out how lenders judge a company buying its own building.
Shipbuilders, marine trades and contractors across Hampshire
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units. Covers 13 council areas: Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Hart, Havant, New Forest, Rushmoor, Test Valley, Winchester, Portsmouth, Southampton.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Hampshire share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 12,635 | 14.8% | 12.5% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 12,510 | 14.7% | 14% |
| Retail | 7,870 | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| Business support services | 7,090 | 8.3% | 8.1% |
| Information and communication | 5,560 | 6.5% | 6.1% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 4,945 | 5.8% | 6.2% |
| Health and social care | 4,710 | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing and engineering | 3,950 | 4.6% | 4.3% |
| Personal and other services | 3,520 | 4.1% | 4.1% |
- 3.1xaerospace, rail and marine equipment175 businesses
- 2.2xwater transport85 businesses
- 1.8xpublic administration1,200 businesses
- 1.7xelectronics and optical equipment245 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Hampshire's thirteen council areas, Portsmouth and Southampton included, hold 85,395 business units. The maritime thread is clear: manufacture of other transport equipment, mostly boat and ship building, runs at 3.11 times the UK share, and water transport at 2.2 times. Electronics manufacturing is 1.68 times the national rate. Construction leads by number at 14.8% of firms. Boatyards, marine engineers and fabricators often own waterside or specialist buildings, and a valuer will want evidence that the property would let or sell to another occupier, not just the current one.
How do the ports and the M3 shape commercial property finance in the County of Hampshire?
Southampton Docks handle a large share of national container freight and serve as a major cruise base, and Portsmouth Harbour holds one of the Royal Navy's main bases and a cross-channel ferry terminal to France and Spain. Ferries from Southampton, Portsmouth and Lymington also link to the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. That port economy keeps warehouses, yards, freight offices and marine workshops in demand along the coast.
Inland, the M3 crosses the county from the edge of the New Forest near Southampton to the north-east, and the South West Main Line runs from London Waterloo through Winchester and Southampton. A building near a junction or a station usually has more potential occupiers, which supports the valuation. In the New Forest national park, development is limited, so commercial stock there is scarcer and planning checks can take longer.
The Hampshire rating list: a decade of industrial growth
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Totals for Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Hart, Havant, New Forest, Rushmoor, Test Valley, Winchester, Portsmouth, Southampton. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse15,940properties on the rating listUp 12.5% since 2016Average rateable value £41,100factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices11,020properties on the rating listUp 14.7% since 2016Average rateable value £27,100offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail12,810properties on the rating listDown 0.9% since 2016Average rateable value £30,000shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial16,580properties on the rating listUp 11.2% since 2016Average rateable value £36,200pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Hampshire estates, from Winnall and Bar End to Sun Valley
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Hampshire, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Bar End Industrial EstateBar End, Winchester SO23 9NR
- St Martins Industrial EstateWinnall, Winchester SO23 7RJ
- Manor Farm Industrial EstateWinnall, Winchester SO23 0HA
- Scylla Industrial EstateWinchester SO23
- City Business CentreWinchester SO23 7DS
- Moorside Road Winnall Industrial EstateWinchester SO23 7RT
- Sun Valley Business ParkSun Valley Business Park, Winnall Cl, Winchester SO23 0LB
- Wykeham Industrial EstateWinchester
- Wessex Business ParkColden Common, Winchester SO21 1WP
- Leylands Business ParkWinchester SO21 1TH
- Rex Industrial EstateChandler's Ford, Eastleigh SO53 2PZ
- Omega Enterprise ParkChandler's Ford, Eastleigh SO53 4SE
Hampshire now has 56,320 rated premises, up 9.1% since 2016. Industrial stock is the largest category at 15,940 units, up 12.5%, and averages £41,100 in rateable value. Offices rose 14.7% but average £27,100, while shop numbers dipped 0.9%. A wide pool of industrial units across the county gives valuers good evidence, which helps owner-occupiers refinance at a fair figure.
What deposit and tax does a business property loan in Hampshire, UK involve?
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending typically advance 70 to 75% of the lower of price and valuation, up to 80% for strong cases. Indicative pricing is 6.0 to 7.5% a year for owner-occupiers, with terms of 5 to 25 years and arrangement fees of 1 to 2%, all subject to status, accounts and valuation. The company funds the deposit, fees and tax itself.
Hampshire is in England, so SDLT applies. HMRC charges 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 on non-residential property (rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy).
Illustrative example. A software company buys a freehold office building for £800,000. A 75% loan of £600,000 leaves a £200,000 deposit, and SDLT is £29,500, so the business needs £229,500 in cash before legal and valuation fees. Our guide to deposits and costs covers the rest of the budget.
Who handles planning and the legal charge for premises finance in Hants?
For local government Hampshire is a non-metropolitan county with eleven districts, plus Portsmouth and Southampton as unitary authorities. The council for the district where your building stands holds its planning record, and the lender's solicitor will confirm the current use is lawful before completion. Security is a first legal charge registered at HM Land Registry, often with a debenture or directors' personal guarantees.
Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter; where a deal would be regulated, for example lending to a sole trader or individual, or a property where the borrower or a close family member will live in part of it, we refer it to an appropriately authorised firm. For the wider region see our South East business mortgages page.
Owner-occupier finance in Hampshire's towns and cities
Southampton
The county's largest settlement and a unitary authority at the head of Southampton Water. The port is a major cruise base and container hub, and the city is home to Ordnance Survey, Carnival UK and a large university and hospital. Buyers range from freight and marine firms to retailers and professional practices.
Portsmouth
An island city on Portsea Island with a Royal Navy base, a ferry port and a defence-led economy, plus IBM's UK headquarters at Cosham. Space is tight, so owner-occupiers compete for a limited stock of units, shops and offices, and semi-commercial buildings are common in the older streets.
Basingstoke
The largest Hampshire settlement without city status, beside the M3 in the north of the county. It hosts UK headquarters for firms such as The Automobile Association and De La Rue, and IT, telecoms, insurance and electronics businesses buy offices and business units here.
Winchester
The county town and home of Hampshire County Council's head offices, sitting at the western end of the South Downs National Park. Professional firms, retailers and hospitality businesses buy period premises in the centre, where heritage and conservation points often shape the legal work.
Andover
A principal settlement in the north-west of the rural county, on the A303 corridor towards Wiltshire and the West Country. Its premises mix suits manufacturers, distributors and trade counters buying industrial units, along with town-centre retailers and service businesses.
Farnborough and Aldershot
The north-east conurbation that runs into Berkshire and Surrey. Farnborough Airport hosts the international airshow and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch head office, so aerospace and defence suppliers seek workshops, offices and test space. Companies in Aldershot add retail and service premises to the mix.
The New Forest and Lymington
A national park where development is restricted, with tourism a significant part of the economy and a ferry route from Lymington to the Isle of Wight. Hotels, pubs, attractions, farm shops and marine businesses are typical buyers, and planning conditions weigh heavily on any purchase.
