Commercial Property in Somerset: Taunton, Yeovil, Bath and Market Towns (2026)
Somerset's commercial property market is anchored by Bath's premium professional services office market (covered separately as part of the Bristol city-region), Taunton's county town industrial and retail offer, and Yeovil's defence and aerospace economy — home to AgustaWestland and Leonardo. This guide covers the main commercial centres and what occupiers are looking for across the county.
Somerset is a predominantly rural county with commercial property markets shaped by three distinct economic engines: Bath in the north-east (part of the Bristol city-region, commanding the highest commercial rents in the county); Yeovil in the south-east (anchored by the Leonardo helicopter manufacturing plant, one of the UK's most significant aerospace employers); and Taunton in the centre (the county town, serving the M5 corridor and the rural Somerset economy).
Bath
Bath is part of the West of England Combined Authority and functions commercially as part of the Bristol city-region. Its commercial property market is characterised by premium professional services office rents in a UNESCO World Heritage Site setting, which creates both opportunity and constraint.
Prime office rents in Bath city centre range from approximately £30–£36 per sq ft for the best Georgian and modern office accommodation — materially above Taunton and Yeovil, and broadly comparable to second-tier Bristol locations. The city's professional services, tourism, consultancy, and technology economy generates consistent demand for quality office space in a highly constrained planning environment.
Key office developments in Bath have been limited by the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation and the need to preserve the city's unique architectural character. The Milsom Quarter and the SouthGate area provide the primary office and retail destinations, and the Former Homebase site at Green Park Station has been developed as a major new leisure and mixed-use destination.
Bath's Spa station (direct services to London Paddington in approximately 1 hour 25 minutes and to Bristol in 15 minutes) is the city's primary connectivity asset and a key location factor for professional services occupiers.
Taunton
Taunton is Somerset's county town and its principal retail and services centre, situated at the intersection of the M5 (Junction 25) and the A358 corridor to Yeovil and the south coast. The town's commercial market serves local and regional businesses across professional services, retail, and light industrial sectors.
Industrial: The M5 Junction 25 proximity makes Taunton a viable location for South West distribution, with the Blackbrook Business Park, Silk Mills Business Park, and Priory Bridge Road industrial areas providing the principal industrial accommodation. Rents for industrial space in Taunton run from approximately £6–£10 per sq ft, reflecting the market's position as a secondary logistics location relative to the M4 and M5/M50 corridors further north.
Office: Taunton's office market is dominated by public sector occupiers (Somerset Council, NHS Somerset, HMRC) alongside local professional services. Prime office rents range from approximately £15–£18 per sq ft, with limited new Grade A supply.
Retail: Taunton's town centre benefits from County Gate (the main shopping centre), the historic Parade, and a strong independent retail culture in the East Reach and St James area. The town has been relatively resilient compared to some comparable county towns, supported by its large public sector employment base.
Yeovil
Yeovil is a distinctive commercial property market defined above all by Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland and GKN Aerospace) — the helicopter manufacturer whose Yeovil plant is one of the UK's largest aerospace manufacturing facilities, employing approximately 3,000 people. This single employer shapes the entire local industrial, office, and skills market.
The Leonardo plant's demand for precision engineering, aerospace component manufacturing, and R&D services generates a supply chain ecosystem of smaller industrial businesses across the wider Yeovil area. Key locations include Houndstone Business Park and Bunford Park.
Prime industrial rents in Yeovil run from approximately £7–£10 per sq ft. New speculative development has been limited by build cost challenges, but demand from the aerospace supply chain is generally robust.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Yeovil commercially significant?
Yeovil is home to Leonardo's UK helicopter manufacturing plant — one of Britain's most important aerospace facilities — which employs approximately 3,000 people and generates substantial supply chain demand for industrial and R&D space across the town. The plant produces the AW159 Wildcat and Merlin helicopters for the Royal Navy and Army, and serves international defence customers. This defence and aerospace economy gives Yeovil a commercial property profile quite different from most comparable Somerset towns.
What are prime office rents in Bath?
Prime office rents in Bath city centre range from approximately £30–£36 per sq ft for the best accommodation, reflecting the city's premium professional services economy and its position within the West of England city-region. New Grade A supply in Bath is constrained by the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, which limits the scale and design of new commercial development.
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