Earlier this year, the bank’s property development division surpassed £1bn of loans drawn with original commitments of over £1.5bn, supporting the construction of around 4,400 homes across England and Wales at any one time.

This performance reflects not only the resilience of our lending teams but also our deep understanding of the property market and our partners’ ambitions. Brokers are central to our business, and we work side by side to find solutions that bring projects to life.

I was recently appointed associate director of intermediaries, with a key objective to further strengthen those relationships. I’m leading proactive engagement with brokers and networks, supporting introducers to place more deals, stretch their clients’ equity, and grow their businesses.

Innovating to meet market needs

UTB has also evolved its product range to meet the changing market. Earlier this year we launched our build to rent (BTR) product; and more recently, a product supporting developers and operators of PBSA. We’re also strong advocates of phasing developments, which can help housebuilders step up to larger schemes whilst committing minimum equity and retaining the flexibility to adapt to and overcome market challenges.

For experienced developers, UTB’s products can now reach up to 70% LTGDV, enabling greater flexibility and equity efficiency.

Collaborative partnerships

UTB’s partnership with the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) further reinforces our role as a champion of SME housebuilders and developers. As co-sponsor of the ‘2025 Guide to Becoming a Small Housing Developer,’ UTB is committed to empowering smaller builders and contractors to thrive — and encouraging them to step up to becoming principal developers. The UK needs a diverse ecosystem of housebuilders and we’re proud to play our part in making that happen.

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UTB’s long-term collaborations continue to deliver impressive results. Our 10-year partnership with mezzanine lender Iron Bridge Finance, for example, has now helped fund 558 new homes with a combined GDV of over £213m. Together, we have supported 17 developments, with more in the pipeline.

In January, we launched our strategic partnerships initiative, within our structured property solutions division. Headed up by Ben Peters, it offers a back leverage funding proposition for bridging or longer-term finance to established boutique bridging lenders. The service offers speed, certainty and quality service to our partners — and with close to £50m of funding already completed and another £30m in the pipeline, it is proving to be another great example of successful UTB collaboration.

The bank’s partnerships also extend beyond the private sector. Since co-designing the ENABLE Guarantee with the British Business Bank in 2017, UTB’s lending through the programme has exceeded £1bn, helping to deliver nearly 4,700 homes and demonstrating our commitment to supporting the UK housing agenda.

Bespoke solutions for complex needs

UTB’s structured property finance division has also enjoyed a standout year, completing a series of sophisticated transactions that demonstrate its flexibility and relationship-driven approach.

The division is headed up by Alex Tyrwhitt, who joined UTB earlier this year and provides funding for a wide variety of real estate asset classes.  Lately, the division has broadened its appetite for commercial lending, responding to increasing activity and confidence in the sector.

Recent transactions include a £25m structured refinance and investment facility for long-term client Rivers Birtwell Limited, secured against a complex portfolio of over 30 HMO and student-let properties, which is valued at £33m. The facility refinanced existing debt, released equity and provided headroom for future acquisitions and refurbishments.

As we celebrate our seventh decade in business, we remain true to our founding principles — partnership, reliability, and expertise — while continuing to evolve our offering for the future.