Chichester is a cathedral city in the Chichester district of West Sussex, the county's only city and its county town. The parish had a population of 29,407 in 2021. A Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement, it has been a major market town ever since, and its 12th-century cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Chichester. Wikipedia describes an economy built on tourism, marinas and related industries, a large public sector and a growing number of self-employed people.
We arrange business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from in and around Chichester. We are a broker, not a lender, and this is finance for a trading business's own building rather than a residential mortgage.
What makes an owner-occupier mortgage in Chichester, Sussex different?
Heritage. The Chichester conservation area covers the whole of the Roman town and includes many Grade I and II listed buildings, split into eight character areas. A second conservation area surrounds the former Graylingwell Hospital to the north, and the designated area now reaches the restored canal basin to the south. Much of the city-centre stock a company might buy is therefore listed or sits inside a conservation area.
Lenders will fund listed premises, but the valuer and solicitor look harder. Expect questions about the building's condition, past alterations and whether listed building consent was obtained for them. Repair costs on old fabric can be higher, so a lender may hold the loan to value nearer 70% than 75%. If your company is buying a shop with a flat above in the old town, our semi-commercial premises page covers how those deals are assessed.
Farms, foresters and hotels: the Chichester district economy
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Chichester share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical | 1,270 | 16.3% | 13.9% |
| Construction and building trades | 945 | 12.2% | 12.6% |
| Retail | 655 | 8.4% | 9.3% |
| Business support services | 655 | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| Farming, forestry and fishing | 485 | 6.2% | 4.4% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 455 | 5.9% | 6.3% |
| Information and communication | 410 | 5.3% | 6.2% |
| Property | 395 | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Manufacturing and engineering | 350 | 4.5% | 4.3% |
- 3.2xforestry40 businesses
- 1.6xtimber and wood products40 businesses
- 1.5xhotels and accommodation95 businesses
- 1.3xdesign, photography and other professional services240 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Chichester district has 7,770 business units, and its rural side is strong. Farming, forestry and fishing make up 6.2% of firms against 4.4% nationally, with forestry and logging at 3.16 times the UK share and wood product makers at 1.58 times. Accommodation businesses run at 1.47 times. Property firms are also above average at 5.1%. A sawmill or timber yard buying its site is assessed on trading accounts and the alternative use of the land, while a hotel is underwritten on occupancy.
Which businesses around the Chichester, England harbour and roads buy premises?
Several marinas sit in the area, with related industries around them: boatyards, chandlers, engine and rigging specialists, and the hospitality firms that serve sailors and visitors. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a substantial employer near the city, which supports engineering and service suppliers. Tourism and leisure bring hotels, restaurants and attractions, which lenders treat as trading businesses priced at an indicative 7.0 to 9.0% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation.
The A27 coastal trunk road passes south of the city and connects it to the M27, M275 and M3, while the A259, A29, A285 and A286 fan out along the coast and north towards Petworth and Haslemere. The railway station on the West Coastway line runs to Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton and London Victoria via Gatwick, with the bus station alongside. Units near the A27 tend to suit trade and distribution buyers.
Chichester's offices up 36.8%
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse1,680properties on the rating listUp 19.1% since 2016Average rateable value £23,000factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices930properties on the rating listUp 36.8% since 2016Average rateable value £13,300offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail1,040properties on the rating listUnchanged since 2016Average rateable value £31,300shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial1,980properties on the rating listUp 17.2% since 2016Average rateable value £25,900pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Chichester estates, from Quarry Lane to Kewell Business Park
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Chichester, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Freedom WorksNorthgate, Chichester PO19 1BJ
- City Business CentreChichester PO19 8DU
- Kewell Business Park26B &, 28 Terminus Rd, Chichester PO19 8ZZ
- Timberlane Industrial EstateChichester PO19 8PP
- Quarry Lane Industrial EstateChichester PO19 8PQ
- St James' WorksPortfield, Chichester PO19 7NN
- St James' Industrial EstatePortfield, Chichester PO19 7JU
- St James Industrial EstateChichester PO19 7HW
- Spur Road Quarry Lane Industrial EstateChichester PO19 8PA
- Angel Industrial EstateChichester PO19 8PL
- Phoenix Business CentreChichester PO19 8PN
- Ben Turner Industrial EstateOving Rd, Portfield, Chichester PO19 7ET
Office numbers in Chichester district rose 36.8% since 2016 to 930, but the average office carries a rateable value of just £13,300, pointing to small suites and conversions. Industrial units grew 19.1% to 1,680, and shops were unchanged at 1,040. For a professional firm, low office values can make buying rather than renting a realistic step.
How much cash does a commercial property loan in the Chichester area need?
Lenders active in owner-occupier lending generally advance 70 to 75% of the price, and up to 80% for strong cases, at indicative rates of 6.0 to 7.5% a year, over 5 to 25 years with arrangement fees of 1 to 2%, all subject to status, accounts and valuation. SDLT applies at 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 (HMRC non-residential rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy).
Illustrative example. A marine engineering company buys a waterside workshop for £550,000. A 75% loan is £412,500, leaving a deposit of £137,500, and SDLT is £17,000, so the company needs £154,500 in cash plus fees. Our stamp duty guide explains the bands.
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. Other towns are covered on our West Sussex business mortgages page.
Where Chichester companies buy premises
City centre within the walls
The medieval walls stand on Roman foundations and enclose the oldest part of the city, all of it inside the conservation area. Shops, cafés, restaurants and professional offices here are often listed, so buyers should budget for specialist surveys and expect the lender's solicitor to check consents closely.
Canal basin and Chichester Canal
South of the centre, the newly restored canal basin and part of the canal itself have been brought into the conservation area. Leisure, hospitality and small office occupiers are drawn here, close to the railway and bus stations.
Graylingwell
To the north, the former Graylingwell Hospital has its own conservation area. Converted historic buildings like these can house offices, studios and community businesses, and lenders will look at how adaptable the space is and the condition of the older fabric.
Rumboldswhyke
A historic parish name for the south-east side of the city near the River Lavant, a winterbourne that runs largely in culverts close to the centre. Local shops and trade premises here suit family companies, and a solicitor will check any flood or drainage points raised by the searches.
Harbour marinas
Several marinas around Chichester Harbour support boatyards, chandleries, sailmakers and marine engineers. Waterside commercial units can be specialised, so lenders weigh how easily another marine business could use them before setting the loan to value.
