Aerial shot of Lansdowne District

Why Dorset

Innovation, Economy & Business Environment

Dorset is a top area for high-growth digital businesses and is the second-fastest growing area for startups in the UK. Offering an open, interactive business environment with almost 56,000 active businesses (34,000 of those are registered for PAYE and VAT) and with more than 300 of them foreign owned, it’s a fantastic launch location for global enterprise. As part of the wider Great South West pan-regional partnership, Dorset has access to a world-class talent pool and high quality, competitively priced office space, making it the ideal location to establish and grow a business. In 2021, Dorset’s GVA stood at almost £20 billion.

With a range of business and industry centres, the flagship Dorset Innovation Park has Enterprise Zone status and is focused on advanced engineering and manufacturing, building on Dorset’s strengths in the defence, marine, cyber-security and energy sectors. The Innovation Park is also home to the Defence Battlelab—a multi-million-pound investment by the Ministry of Defence, Dorset LEP and Dorset Council. Officially opened in 2022, it provides office space and meeting rooms, as well as access to experimentation assets such as enclosed hangar, 5G enabled Lulworth Ranges, the roads and space of the Innovation Park, cleared airspace and sea area. The South West Region has three Innovate UK Catapults in the form of the National Composites Centre, the Satellite Applications Catapult and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

In line with the UK’s fair and transparent regulatory environment, as well as its internationally competitive tax regime, Dorset offers a business culture that encourages and rewards research and development through generous tax credits. Robust IP protection and tax relief for locally developed patents further enhance the region’s business-friendly approach.

Aerial shot of BCP

Location Advantage & Connectivity

Centrally positioned on the South Coast of England, Dorset is just two hours from London by road or rail. Bournemouth Airport sits within the county, and handles one million passengers annually, providing access to 28 destinations in 12 different countries in addition to flights within the UK. Additionally, Exeter and Southampton Airports are both within an hour’s reach, and Bristol, London Heathrow, and London Gatwick Airports are accessible within two hours.

Situated between the Freeports of Plymouth & South Devon and Solent, Dorset’s two ports Port of Poole and Portland Port plus its three harbours form strong links to mainland Europe and the Channel Islands. With over extensive coverage of superfast broadband Dorset is well-connected for business, whether that be physically or online.

Education & Research Hub

Dorset is home to esteemed higher education institutions including Bournemouth University, Arts University Bournemouth and AECC University College, in addition to three further education colleges, all of which provide a rich environment for education, innovation and research. Dorset has easy access to major higher education centres of excellence across the South including world class and Russell Group universities.

Man in a hard hat by engineering machinery

Image of Lulworth Cove

Quality of Life

With its stunning coastline and lush countryside, Dorset is home to some of the most beautiful vistas in the world. The region has a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Jurassic Coast—a stretch of coastline along the English Channel whose cliffs contain millions of years of geological history. Two of Dorset’s most famous natural landmarks are the ancient stone arch of Durdle Door, and the layered cliffs at nearby Lulworth Cove.

Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Swanage are known for their sandy beaches, while a plethora of Michelin starred restaurants, theatres and arts centres, a thriving festival scene, plus a Premier League Football Club, make Dorset an ideal place to live and work.

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