Bridging Finance News Round-Up | 5 – 9 May 2026

By Bridging Loan Directory 8th May 2026

It’s been another busy week across the bridging and specialist property finance market, with strong levels of deal activity, development funding, lender expansion and product innovation continuing across the sector.

Highlights included a £37.1m development facility from Paragon, a £40m PBSA funding package structured by Arc & Co., and a £36m residential development facility from Maslow Capital.

This week on Bridging Loan Directory we published 33 stories covering bridging finance deals, development funding, lender appointments, product launches, guides and market insight across the specialist finance sector.

Here’s your full weekly digest.

People Moves

Nivo appoints Bruce Glover to support Nivo AI rollout
Nivo has strengthened its team to support the rollout of its AI offering.

Lendco strengthens sales team with four hires to support growth
Lendco has expanded its sales team as lending activity grows.

Market Harborough expands broker support team with two BDM hires
The lender has strengthened its broker-facing team with two appointments.

Octane Capital appoints Jamie Smith as BDM for North and Midlands
Octane Capital has expanded regional broker support.

Signature Property Finance appoints Gary Hawtin as Relationship Manager
Signature Property Finance has made a new relationship management appointment.

Deal Activity

Paragon backs £37.1m funding for 110-home Cranleigh development
The funding supports a major residential development in Surrey.

Charles Street Finance funds £900k bungalow-to-home development in Cheshire
Funding supports a residential redevelopment project.

Octane Capital completes £4.41m developer exit loan in Surrey at 65% LTV
The facility supported a developer exit strategy.

GB Bank completes £1.5m HMO refinance to support portfolio expansion
The refinance supports further portfolio growth.

Aldermore provides £27.8m refinance for Leicester build-to-rent scheme
A major refinance supports a Leicester BTR scheme.

Hope Capital and Melius Commercial complete £7m in early partnership deals
The new partnership has already delivered significant lending volume.

Together completes £3.8m bridging loan for 40-property auction portfolio
The bridging facility supported a large auction acquisition.

Maslow Capital provides £36m facility for Maidstone residential scheme
Funding supports a major residential development.

Hampshire Trust Bank funds £13.5m Leeds residential and student scheme repositioning
The facility supports repositioning of a mixed residential and student scheme.

Ramsay & White completes complex mixed-use refinance in six weeks
A complex refinance was completed within six weeks.

InterBay completes £17.5m remortgage on South East PRS development
Funding supports a PRS development refinance.

Recognise Bank completes £700k commercial bridging loan in Chelmsford
The loan supported a commercial acquisition.

Arc & Co. structures funding package for £40m Bristol PBSA scheme
Arc & Co. structured a complex PBSA funding package.

Downing Property Finance backs £47.5m of PBSA development lending
The lender reported significant PBSA lending activity.

Inspired Lending completes £240k refinance and capital raise for UK expat
The refinance supported capital raising for an overseas borrower.

Hampshire Trust Bank completes £5.5m semi-commercial refinance in North West
The refinance supported a semi-commercial asset.

Industry News

Apex Bridging launches 95% LTV auction finance
Apex Bridging has launched a high-LTV auction finance product.

Somo launches May fee refund offer worth up to £4,000
Somo introduced a new fee refund initiative.

Bluecroft Finance joins Optimum Elite Network lender panel
Bluecroft has joined the network’s lender panel.

District & County Investments moves to new Liverpool office as lending grows
The lender has expanded into new office space.

United Trust Bank launches desktop valuations for bridging loans
UTB has introduced desktop valuations for qualifying cases.

MS Lending Group reports record funding speeds in April
The lender reported record turnaround times.

Together cuts unregulated bridging rates across higher-LTV products
Together has reduced pricing across key bridging products.

Castle Trust Bank launches EPC-focused bridging product for landlords
The new product is designed to support EPC improvements.

Opinion

Deals are still moving, but they’re getting harder to land
Tony Sanchez, Founder of Bridging Loan Directory, explores how deal activity remains strong, but complexity and execution challenges are increasing across the market.