Commercial Finance

Development Finance — fund your next build

Ground-up residential and commercial development finance for experienced and emerging developers. We structure loans against land value and fund build costs in staged drawdowns as work progresses.

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£250k – £50M+
Loan range
Up to 70% GDV
Of gross development value
Up to 90%
Of build costs
6–24 months
Typical term

What is development finance?

Development finance is specialist short-term lending for property development projects — covering land purchase, professional fees and build costs. Unlike a standard mortgage, funds are typically drawn down in stages as the development progresses, with interest charged only on drawn amounts.

It's structured around the project's Gross Development Value (GDV) — the estimated market value of the completed development — rather than the value of the land alone.

What projects can be funded?

✅ Ground-up residential builds
✅ Commercial development
✅ Mixed-use schemes
✅ Office-to-residential conversion
✅ HMO conversions
✅ Barn & heritage conversion
✅ Permitted development
✅ Self-build schemes

How development finance works

1
Initial advance on land/purchase

Typically 65–70% of the land/purchase price is advanced on day one of the loan.

2
Staged build drawdowns

As construction reaches agreed milestones, funds are drawn down. Typically monthly, verified by the lender's monitoring surveyor.

3
Repayment on sale or refinance

The loan is repaid from sales proceeds or refinanced to a term product (buy-to-let or commercial mortgage) on completion.

Expert View

"Development finance is one of the most complex funding structures in commercial finance. Lenders assess your experience track record, the project appraisal, planning position and exit strategy simultaneously. Getting the package structured correctly from the outset — and presenting it compellingly — makes the difference between approval and decline."

Discuss Your Project

Share your development appraisal and we'll identify the most suitable lenders for your scheme.

Speak to a Specialist → 📞 01392 241669
No obligation. Complex development enquiries welcomed.
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Have a development project in mind?

We work with residential and commercial developers of all sizes. Tell us about your scheme and we'll structure the right finance package.