Assetz Capital has agreed a funding facility of up to £150 million with Cambridge & Counties Bank, in a move designed to expand the flow of capital to small and medium-sized housebuilders across the UK.
The agreement brings a new institutional partner into Assetz Capital’s funding marketplace, with Cambridge & Counties Bank providing capital that will be deployed into residential development loans nationwide.
Both lenders said the partnership strengthens the resilience and capacity of the platform at a time when access to finance remains one of the biggest barriers facing SME developers.
GROWING PRESSURE ON SME DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
The deal comes as the Home Builders Federation’s 2025 State of Play report highlights an increase in developers citing finance as a major obstacle, rising from 33% to 39% over the past year.
Assetz Capital, launched in 2013, has lent more than £1.7 billion in property-secured finance and supported the construction of around 7,700 new homes, equivalent to roughly one in every 12 built by SME housebuilders.
Cambridge & Counties Bank, a specialist real estate lender with a long-standing presence in regional markets, is entering its first large-scale partnership with a third-party lender. The bank’s real estate finance lending rose 16% between September 2024 and September 2025.
Stuart Law, CEO of Assetz Capital, said: “This partnership with Cambridge & Counties Bank is another major endorsement of the quality, scale, and stability of the platform that we’ve built over the past decade and more.
“Our performance through cycles, particularly during CBILS delivery, has shown that Assetz Capital is a safe and efficient platform for institutions to deploy capital into UK housing.
“Borrowers will now benefit from an even deeper and diverse institutionally funded marketplace with a full product suite for all property backed transactions.
“Our funding doesn’t just take property entrepreneurs through the lifecycle of a project. We also support them from their early days right through to scaling into joining the ranks of the nation’s SME housebuilders and delivering dozens to hundreds of new homes a year.”
EXPANDING SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPERS
Sarah Barker, chief commercial officer at Cambridge & Counties Bank, said: “We are delighted to be working with Assetz Capital, a proven specialist in SME residential development lending with a deep understanding of regional markets.
“This facility is a first for Cambridge & Counties as we look to expand our support for the UK property market, working with others to who share our relationship-based approach.
“Assetz Capital’s disciplined underwriting and track record of delivery make them an ideal partner to help us scale our impact in this critical sector.”
Andrew Fraser, chief commercial officer at Assetz Capital, said the agreement would broaden the availability of competitive and stable finance for brokers and SME housebuilders.
“Ensuring brokers and SME housebuilders have access to competitive, stable capital is essential, particularly in a market where consistency of funding can be difficult to secure.
“Cambridge & Counties Bank’s regional understanding and commitment to UK-based lending aligns closely with our focus on supporting developers throughout the development process.
“For brokers and developers, this represents an additional, reliable source of UK-based capital to help bring forward new housing.”
