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Build With Confidence

Development Finance — build from the ground up

From site acquisition to final unit sales, Glender connects you with specialist development lenders who understand construction timelines, staged drawdowns, and the complexities of building projects. The Global Lender network funds ambitious developers.

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90%

LTGDV up to

100%

Build costs funded

6–36

Term (months)

£50m

Maximum facility

Understanding Development Finance

What is development finance?

Development finance is specialist lending for property construction and conversion projects. Unlike a standard mortgage, funds are released in stages (drawdowns) as the build progresses, with a monitoring surveyor verifying each phase before the next tranche is released.

This structure keeps costs efficient — you only pay interest on funds drawn — and gives lenders confidence that the project is progressing as planned. Your Generous Lender matches you with development funders who specialise in your exact project type.

✓ Ground-up new builds (residential and commercial)
✓ Conversions (office-to-resi, barn conversions, PD schemes)
✓ Staged drawdowns against build progress
✓ Facilities from £500,000 to £50,000,000
✓ First-time and experienced developers welcome

Project Types We Fund

Ground-Up Residential

Single units to 200+ home developments with full infrastructure

Commercial Developments

Office blocks, retail parks, industrial units, and mixed-use schemes

Permitted Development

Office-to-residential and commercial-to-residential conversions under PD rights

Land With Planning

Site acquisition finance for land with planning permission or outline consent

Why Glender

Key features

Development finance structured around your build programme. Your Generous Lender makes complex funding simple.

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Staged Drawdowns

Funds released in tranches as your build progresses. You only pay interest on capital drawn — keeping project costs lean and efficient.

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Up to 90% LTGDV

Combined senior and mezzanine facilities can stretch to 90% of gross development value, minimising your equity requirement.

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Monitoring Surveyor

Independent QS sign-off at each stage gives you and the lender confidence that the project is on track and on budget.

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100% Build Cost Funding

Many lenders on our panel fund the entire build cost, so your equity contribution is limited to the land or site acquisition only.

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First-Time Developers

No track record? No problem. Glender connects first-time developers with lenders who back strong projects, not just experienced CVs.

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National Coverage

The Global Lender network funds developments across England, Wales, and Scotland. Urban regeneration to rural barn conversions — we cover it all.

How It Works

From appraisal to completion

Glender streamlines the development finance journey from initial appraisal to final drawdown.

Submit Your Appraisal

Share your development appraisal, planning status, build costs, and projected GDV.

Lender Matching

Glender matches your project to specialist development lenders with appetite for your scheme type.

Terms & Due Diligence

Compare facility terms, agree heads, and proceed through valuation, QS review, and legals.

Drawdown & Build

Initial drawdown for site acquisition, then staged releases as your build progresses through each phase.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

Development finance is available to developers at all experience levels. Whether this is your first conversion project or your fiftieth multi-unit scheme, The Global Lender network has a funder for you.

✓ Experienced developers with a proven track record
✓ First-time developers with a strong project and team
✓ SPVs and limited companies (required by most lenders)
✓ Joint ventures and partnerships
✓ Housing associations and registered providers

What you'll need

● Development appraisal with full cost breakdown
● Planning permission (full or outline)
● Architect's drawings and build schedule
● Contractor details and build contract
● Evidence of equity contribution (typically 10-25%)
● Developer CV / track record (if available)

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

LTGDV stands for Loan-to-Gross-Development-Value. It measures the total facility (land plus build costs) as a percentage of the finished project value. A lender offering 70% LTGDV on a scheme worth £2,000,000 would provide a total facility of £1,400,000. Higher LTGDV means less equity you need to contribute.

The facility is divided into tranches aligned with your build programme. Typically, the first drawdown covers site acquisition. Subsequent drawdowns are released as the monitoring surveyor certifies that each build phase is complete — for example, foundations, superstructure, first fix, second fix, and practical completion. You only pay interest on the drawn amount.

Absolutely. Several lenders on the Glender panel specialise in backing first-time developers. They will want to see a strong project appraisal, a competent build team (experienced contractor), and a realistic schedule. You may need a slightly higher equity contribution (20-30%), but your Generous Lender will find the right match.

A monitoring surveyor (also called a quantity surveyor or QS) is appointed by the lender to independently verify build progress, quality, and cost management. They visit the site before each drawdown to confirm works are completed to the expected standard. This protects both you and the lender.

Most development lenders require full planning permission or at least outline consent before they will issue a formal facility. However, some lenders on our panel offer pre-planning finance — short-term bridging to acquire a site while planning is being obtained. Glender can help you structure the right approach for your timeline.

Rates vary based on project size, developer experience, location, and LTGDV. Typical senior development finance ranges from 6-12% per annum. Arrangement fees are usually 1-2% of the facility. Glender shows all costs upfront so you can compare apples with apples across multiple lender offers.