Land bridging loans up to 60% loan-to-value, with or without planning permission – so you can secure a plot quickly, add value through planning and move on to the build.
Land purchases, especially at auction or in a competitive market, often need to complete faster than a standard purchase allows – and mainstream lenders rarely lend on land at all. A land bridging loan is short-term finance secured against the land itself, letting you secure a site quickly and repay once planning is granted, the build is funded or the land is sold.
We arrange land bridging loans of up to 60% loan-to-value, on land with or without planning permission, as part of our bridging range from £50,000 to £50 million. The exact loan-to-value on any site depends on its planning status, location, access and your exit.
Borrow up to 60% of the land's value. The final figure depends on the site, its planning status and your exit.
We fund land with full planning, outline consent or no planning at all.
In most cases we can give you a decision in principle the same day, so you can move before the plot is gone.
Bridging is usually released as a single advance on completion, so the purchase funds are available in full.
Once planning is granted, the bridge can be refinanced onto development finance to fund the build.
When planning increases the land's value, further equity can often be released to start the next stage.
One of our developer clients needed £1 million of bridging finance to acquire a plot of land with a purchase price of £2 million.
Three months after the purchase, the developer secured a successful planning application and the land was revalued at £3 million. That uplift allowed us to release further equity from the site, giving the developer the funds to start building.
The numbers show why planning gain matters: the same £1 million loan was 50% of the land's value at purchase and around 33% after planning. That headroom is what made further borrowing possible without the developer putting in more cash.
No planning permission. Lenders look closely at the land's current value and your planning strategy. Terms are typically more conservative, and a credible plan B – such as selling the site – is important.
Outline planning. The principle of development is established, which gives lenders more confidence in the site's value and your exit.
Full planning permission. The land's value and intended use are clearest, so this usually attracts the best terms, and the route onto development finance is shortest.
Whatever the planning status, the maximum we can arrange is up to 60% loan-to-value, and each site is assessed on its own merits.
A clear exit. Usually a refinance onto development finance once planning is granted, or a sale of the land with or without consent.
A realistic planning strategy. Pre-application advice, a planning consultant and a sensible view of what the local authority is likely to approve.
The site itself. Good title, legal access, services and no unexpected restrictions or covenants.
A plan B. What happens if planning is refused or delayed – lenders are far more comfortable when the site could still be sold sensibly.
Realistic timescales. Planning often takes longer than expected, so build some slack into your programme and choose a loan term that allows for it.
Many schemes use both products: bridging to secure the land quickly, then development finance for the build. Development finance is more structured and disciplined, released in stages as the build progresses, and can carry better rates; bridging is faster and more flexible.
We arrange both, so the move from land to build is planned from day one. See our property development finance page, or large bridging loans for sites needing £1 million or more.
Yes. We arrange land bridging loans on plots with full planning permission, outline consent, or no planning at all.
Up to 60% of the land's value. The exact loan-to-value depends on the site, its planning status, location, access and your exit strategy.
Often, yes. If planning increases the land's value, further equity can be released. In one recent case a £2 million plot was revalued at £3 million after planning, allowing the developer to raise funds to start building.
Yes. Land with planning permission usually attracts better terms, because its value and intended use are clearer to the lender.
Commonly by refinancing onto development finance once planning is in place and you're ready to build, or by selling the land.
No. Raise Commercial Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We arrange unregulated commercial and investment property finance only. We never lend against a property that is or will become the borrower's or their family's home.
