What is Mezzanine development finance?

Mezzanine development finance is a second-charge loan sitting behind the senior lender that takes total funding above the senior ceiling, commonly to 95% or 100% of cost. Mezzanine carries a higher rate and often a profit share, and is used to reduce the developer's equity requirement.

Development finance works in two stages: an initial advance towards the land or existing building, then staged drawdowns of build costs released against a monitoring surveyor's monthly certificates. Interest is rolled up or retained within the facility, and the loan is repaid when the completed units are sold or refinanced onto term mortgages.

100% development finance is available, for the right scheme, through a joint venture lender that provides the senior facility and the equity together, funding the whole scheme cost in exchange for a share of the profit. The developer's cash at risk can be nil, with the site or opportunity, the planning consent and the delivery forming the developer's contribution.

Development finance lenders fall into five groups: high-street banks, lending at the lowest leverage and cost; challenger banks; specialist development lenders, funding to higher ceilings; mezzanine and joint venture funders, providing capital above senior debt; and private lenders and family offices, funding bespoke or time-critical schemes.

Property development finance is short-term funding for building, converting or substantially refurbishing property, released in stages as work progresses and repaid from the sale or refinance of the finished scheme. The loan is sized against the finished value and the total cost, with interest usually rolled into the facility rather than paid monthly.