"This project demonstrates the importance of working closely with experienced developers from the outset, particularly where planning can present challenges"
- Michael Clifford - District & County Investments
District & County Investments (DCI) has provided a £2.865m funding facility to support the acquisition and development of a residential scheme in Preesall, near Poulton in Lancashire. The deal covers four executive detached four-bedroom houses at Springfield Cottage Farm, with completion expected later in 2026.
The lender structured the facility across two distinct phases to give the borrower continuity and certainty throughout the project. An initial £1.5m loan supported the pre-planning land acquisition, with DCI working alongside the borrower through a complex planning process before a successful outcome was secured.
A further £1.365m facility then funded the construction phase, allowing the developer to move from acquisition to build without interruption.
A two-phase structure to navigate planning complexity
The phased approach was designed to address one of the more common challenges in residential development: the uncertainty that can accompany the planning process before a single brick is laid.
"This project demonstrates the importance of working closely with experienced developers from the outset, particularly where planning can present challenges," said Michael Clifford, commercial director at District & County Investments.
"By supporting both the land acquisition at the pre-planning phase and then following this with a development facility to support the build phase, we were able to provide continuity, certainty of funding and a single set of DD costs, allowing the borrower to focus on delivering a high-quality scheme."
"The development will deliver four executive homes in Preesall, adding to the supply of high-specification housing in the area, while also showcasing how flexible, structured funding can support projects from concept through to completion."
The single due diligence process across both phases reduced administrative burden for the borrower, a feature Clifford highlighted as central to the structure's appeal for experienced developers taking on projects where planning risk is a factor.
What the deal signals for bridging and development finance
The transaction reflects broader demand among regional developers for lenders willing to commit across both the acquisition and construction stages of a scheme, rather than requiring borrowers to source separate facilities at each phase.
DCI says the deal illustrates its appetite for supporting experienced developers with tailored, end-to-end funding across bridging and development finance. The lender emphasises speed of execution, simplicity of structure, and alignment of interests across the deal lifecycle as core to its approach.
The four homes at Springfield Cottage Farm add to the supply of high-specification residential property in the Preesall area, a market where executive detached housing remains limited relative to demand from buyers seeking larger family homes in semi-rural Lancashire locations.
