The funding line includes provisions aimed at supporting Downing’s overall sustainability strategy and contributing to its goal of deploying its own sustainability-linked facilities to SME developers.

•   Hilltop launches real estate funding and management platform
•   Downing LLP surpasses £500m in specialist lending commitments
•   Downing LLP property finance team hits £300m milestone

Downing said its objective with its SLL framework is to incentivise and reward a borrower’s achievement based on pre-determined sustainability performance objectives. 

This is based on a borrower’s sustainability strategy, targets, and objectives, which are assessed against an ESG scorecard, with this criteria including physical risk, embodied carbon, energy and operational carbon, water, waste, biodiversity, habitat, and certifications. 

Parik Chandra, partner and head of specialist lending at Downing LLP (pictured above), said: “We continue to grow and diversify our funding sources and are delighted that this facility with HSBC includes sustainability targets which we believe are of increasing importance to a range of investors.” 

Downing typically lends between £1m and £30m to experienced developers up to 90% LTC and 70% LTGDV.

Within wholesale finance, the company focuses on lending to bridging lenders and can also consider lending to other secured lenders.