Assetz Capital has secured a funding facility of up to £150m from Cambridge & Counties Bank in a move that expands its institutional funding marketplace and bolsters the capital available to SME housebuilders.
The funding will be deployed into residential development loans across the UK, adding capacity and resilience at a time when access to finance remains a major challenge for smaller developers.
The partnership brings together two established UK lenders with a shared focus on responsible growth and regional market expertise.
Cambridge & Counties Bank cited Assetz Capital’s long-standing performance, disciplined credit management and proven delivery record, including its successful deployment of hundreds of millions in CBILS loans during the pandemic.
The collaboration marks the first time Cambridge & Counties Bank has partnered at scale with a third-party lender.
Industry pressures underline the need for increased funding. The Home Builders Federation’s 2025 State of Play report found that 39% of SME developers now see access to finance as a major barrier, up from 33% the previous year.
Since launching in 2013, Assetz Capital has deployed more than £1.7bn in property-secured lending, supporting the construction of 7,700 homes and contributing significantly to SME-led development across the country.
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.”
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 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, added: “Broadening our institutional funding marketplace through this partnership strengthens our ability to support more developers and fund more homes.
“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.”
