Bridging · Land

Land bridging loans

Short-term finance to secure a site — whether planning is granted, pending or still to be applied for — so you can control the land while the scheme takes shape.

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How land bridging works

A land bridge is secured against the site itself. It lets a developer complete a purchase, then use the term of the loan to obtain or improve planning, finalise design and line up development finance.

Lenders take a cautious view of land, because it produces no income and its value depends on planning. Leverage is generally lower than for built property, and is higher where full planning is in place than for land with no consent. A strong planning case and a credible route into development finance are central to the application.

Typical uses

Buying a site with full or outline planning before development finance is arranged
Securing land with no planning where you have a clear strategy to obtain it
Completing quickly when a vendor needs certainty
Refinancing land already owned to release equity for planning and design costs
Buying out a co-owner or joint venture partner in a site

What lenders will look at

The current planning status and the planning strategy
A valuation of the land as it stands today — not its value with consent
Your proposed route into development finance
Your track record of taking sites through planning

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a bridging loan on land with no planning permission?

Yes, though leverage is lower and lenders want to see a realistic planning strategy. Land with an allocation in the local plan or a positive pre-application response is generally easier to fund.

Will the lender lend against the value with planning?

Lenders lend against the value of the land on the day of the valuation. If planning is granted during the term, that uplift can support a refinance into development finance — often with the increased value contributing to your equity.

Can the land bridge roll into development finance?

Many lenders that offer land bridging also provide development finance, and some will agree both stages together. In other cases the bridge is refinanced by a separate development lender. We plan the two stages together so the exit from the bridge is clear from the outset.

Have a bridging deal in front of you?

Send us the headline numbers. We will tell you plainly whether it is fundable, how we would structure it, and what we would need to take it to lenders.

Start a bridging application Email us