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Property finance

Planning Assistance Loan

What is a Planning Assistance Loan (PAL)?

This innovative product allows experienced property developers to buy commercial space before they have secured full planning permission for their residential conversion scheme.

Read on to find out more and how a PAL could support your business growth.

Why is a Planning Assistance Loan important?

The market converting commercial property in residential space is growing rapidly. There are two main drivers behind this trend.

Firstly, there are estimated to be 165,000 privately-owned commercial and business premises currently empty across the UK with an additional 7,000 commercial and business premises owned by local authorities having been vacant for over 12 months.

Secondly, the introduction of the new ‘permitted development rights’ in late 2023 enabled developers to convert commercial space into residential without planning permission. Albeit with a raft of conditions.

Given that we are in a phase of ‘getting Britain building’ and creating new homes, then changing the use of empty commercial buildings to residential seems an obvious way of supporting this.

 What is a Planning Assistance Loan needed for?

At Assetz Capital, we understand the need of the market to have a product where experienced property developers can buy commercial space before they have secured full planning permission for residential, PBSA, or PRS. A Planning Assistance Loan enables them to do just that, and then secure the vital planning permissions during the period of the loan.

What happens when planning permission is granted?

The PAL can be converted into a Refurbishment Loan to complete the conversion project when the appropriate planning permission is granted.

Read our press release about the launch of our PAL.

 

Our key lending criteria

We take pride in being flexible and finding a funding solution that meets your business needs. Each Planning Assistance Loan is structured and priced on its own merits. We will consider terms outside the below LTV and maximum loan guidelines when the circumstances warrant it.

Indicative TermsKey Features
Loan size£500k – £5m
Term12 – 18 months.
FeesFrom 2%
Loan to Vacant Possession (LTVP)Maximum 65% (including any retained interest).
Rate10.5% (Fixed)
Repayment typeBullet, with interest either retained or serviced.

 

development finance

What our clients say about us

Aspire Homes
Aspire Homes

Assetz Capital have been great throughout, they understood our vision and supported us during the entire process. Their knowledge of the market and desire to support house-builders has made us feel valued and we look forward to continuing our relationship with them.

Paul Whitehead
Aspire Homes
Forth Homes
Forth Homes

We found dealing with Assetz Capital a breeze. I would consider it to be very easy lending. We are looking to submit the proposals of the next development with Assetz Capital.

Peter Foxcroft
Forth Homes
Progressive Living Developments
Progressive Living Developments

We are delighted to work with Assetz on this project. Their way of funding makes so much sense. We are happy to deliver much-needed housing and contributing to the regeneration of the NOMA district.

David Fairclough
Progressive Living Developments