Over the past 6 months something we’ve had requests for, on a number of occasions, is cross-collaterised development finance facilities, where developers will undertake a number of separate developments – but they want a pre-agreed funding arrangement to cover all the proposed sites. The facility size in each case has been in the region of £3m – £5m.
Positively, we’ve structured good solutions to each of these. In the case of multi-site residential projects we’ve seen good support with well-priced debt funding and even profit-participation agreements, and; on commercial developments with good tenant pre-commitments the joint-venture equity funding lines have been quite attractive.
All in all it suggests the positive market metrics, such as the recent RICS growth predictions, are carrying through to the marketplace – and to the developers we provide structured finance for.