Construction has begun on Dorchester's first Build-to-Rent residential scheme, with developer RTI Estates Ltd, part of the Dorchester-based Redtale Group, leading the project.

The £11 million development will see the transformation of Vespasian House, a well-known commercial premises at the top o' town, into a contemporary rental complex. The brownfield site is considered a highly sustainable location close to both the town centre and Dorset County Hospital.

The project will deliver 33 apartments across three phases, offering a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. Residents will also have access to shared recreational, communal and work facilities, a gym, and a courtyard garden. Under its 'lifestyle' concept, the scheme will provide tenants with greater security of tenure, with options ranging from six months to five years and alternative deposit arrangements.

Funding support has been secured from Poole-based property finance specialist MSP Capital. Work began in July 2025, with the first phase of apartments scheduled for completion in spring/summer 2026.

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Malcolm Curtis, chief executive of the Redtale Group, said: "This Build-to-Rent development, the first in south Dorset, will bring a new, innovative style of modern living to the area.

"We are delighted to reach this exciting milestone, in association with MSP Capital. We can’t wait to deliver what will be a well-designed and high-quality re-purposing of the prominent Vespasian House, in what is a highly sustainable location within close proximity to the town centre and Dorset County Hospital.

"It fits perfectly with our 'discover the difference' ethos, which aims to deliver properties with better planning, better design, better build and better customer service.

"As the county town of Dorchester continues to grow as a vibrant and popular town, the scheme will enhance and diversify the local housing mix and provide new options for the rental market, whilst helping to combat the chronic under-supply of quality rental homes in the area."

MSP Capital, which specialises in bridging and development loans of up to £10 million, is providing financial backing for the scheme.

Lee Merrifield, MSP Capital director, said: "We are pleased to continue to support the highly-experienced and long-established Redtale Group in the regeneration of Vespasian House.

"It promises to deliver a high-quality and innovative type of scheme which has proved popular in other locations throughout the UK. We look forward to seeing the development take shape."

Alongside the Build-to-Rent apartments, work has started on an extension to the front of Vespasian House to create a mixed-use building, with commercial space on the ground floor and apartments above.

The project is part of Redtale Group's wider regeneration of Dorchester's historic Barrack Quarter into a new neighbourhood. Completed schemes already include a £2.4 million redevelopment of Barrack House, providing nine key worker apartments for NHS staff and their families, as well as the conversion of the former Quartermaster’s stores into five townhouses and two apartments for open market sale.