Light industrial finance in the South West

Geographically the largest English region, the South West has the longest coastline of any region at more than 1,130 kilometres and four World Heritage Sites. We arrange the full range of light industrial finance across the South West, from the commercial mortgages that buy and hold a unit or an estate to the bridging, development, mezzanine and equity behind a refurbishment, a trade park scheme or a yard. Industrial market data is published nationally and regionally by Gerald Eve (Newmark), MSCI and Savills, so the figures above are presented as clearly-labelled benchmarks, with the regional figures attributed to their sources, while the planning and housing-transaction data is genuinely local for the towns we track.

Bristol carries the South West's top prime multi-let rent at £14.50 per sq ft with Gloucester at £12.50, on a regional all-grades average of £8.47 (Gerald Eve, Q3 2024). Small-box units of 5,001 to 25,000 sq ft make up 60 percent of regional floorspace, the highest share in the UK, which is precisely the stock SME occupiers fight over and developers struggle to replace viably. The region had 388,000 sq ft under construction over nine schemes at end-2024, more genuine delivery than most regions, yet Avonmouth and the Bristol fringe still price keenly at a 5.40 percent prime equivalent yield. We arrange estate and owner-occupier finance from Gloucester to Plymouth, and Bristol assets are underwritten by lenders on near-southern terms.

Nationally, forecast multi-let rental growth runs at 4.6% (Gerald Eve (Newmark), Multi-Let Winter bulletin 2024, 2024 to 2028 forecast), against an expected peak void rate of 9.8% (Gerald Eve (Newmark), Multi-Let Winter bulletin 2024, 2024 expected peak) and MSCI industrial vacancy of 9.4% (MSCI UK Quarterly Property Index, Q4 2025 results, Dec 2025). That tight supply picture for small units is the backdrop to every regional appraisal we run.

Development activity is visible across the region: we track 12 recent industrial planning applications in the South West through council planning registers, part of a national feed covering more than 100 local authorities.

Benchmark figures from Gerald Eve (Newmark), Multi-Let Winter bulletin 2024; MSCI UK Quarterly Property Index, Q4 2025 results. Regional commentary draws on Gerald Eve (a Newmark company) (Multi-Let, Winter bulletin, 2024).