Development Finance Kent
Development finance Kent facilities for ground-up builds, conversions, heavy refurbishment and development exits, structured around your project and your exit.
Location can affect planning, values, marketability and lender appetite. The project appraisal and exit still determine the credit case.
Minimum development finance facility: £350,000
Personal service with established backing.
You deal directly with me, from the initial assessment through to completion. EAS Finance grew from work for large institutional clients, where accuracy, evidence and accountability were expected.
EAS Finance is an appointed representative of White Rose Finance Group, established in 2004. The group brings more than 20 years of experience across the full breadth of commercial and property lending, together with extensive lender relationships.
Development finance Kent, structured project by project.
EAS Finance arranges development finance for property developers working across Kent, from single-unit refurbishments to multi-unit ground-up schemes, commercial conversions, and development exit facilities, in Maidstone, Canterbury, Medway, Folkestone, Ashford, Thanet, Tunbridge Wells, Dartford, Sevenoaks and throughout the county.
Kent’s development market has specific characteristics that affect how finance is structured and which lenders are appropriate: planning complexity, nutrient neutrality constraints in east Kent, regeneration activity in coastal towns, high land values in the commuter belt, and a varied mix of project types from coastal refurbishments to commuter-belt new builds.
We are a broker, not a lender. Development finance is more complex than bridging, the wrong lender, or a poorly packaged application, can cost months and material money. Where the requirement is acquisition or refurbishment rather than substantial construction, our bridging finance Kent page may be more relevant. For the national funding structure, lender assessment and drawdown process, see our Development Finance UK overview.
| EAS Finance facility size | From £350,000 |
|---|---|
| Funding limits | Lenders assess loan to GDV, loan to total costs and cash to complete together |
| Build costs | Some lenders can fund all eligible build costs, subject to the overall facility limits and drawdown conditions |
| Loan terms | 6 to 24 months typical |
| Project types | Ground-up, conversion, refurbishment, exit |
| Borrower types | First-time and experienced developers |
Indicative figures. Terms depend on project specifics, GDV, borrower track record and lender appetite.
Development finance Kent for every stage and project type
The right structure depends on what is being built, the planning position, your track record, and your exit.
Ground-up residential
New-build houses and apartments on cleared or previously developed land, with staged drawdowns tied to build progress and a typical 5% contingency.
Commercial to residential conversion
Class MA permitted development applies in some Kent locations, though Article 4 Directions remove it in certain town centres. Contingencies typically run 7.5–10%.
Heavy refurbishment
Structural works, layout changes and significant improvement, where the boundary with development finance depends on scope and lender.
Mixed-use developments
Residential units with commercial ground floors, common in Kent’s market towns, with more complex underwriting given the different exit for each element.
Land purchase, with or without planning
Consented land attracts stronger terms. Land without planning needs a credible, realistic planning timeline before a lender will commit.
Development exits
Repaying a senior lender when a scheme is near completion but sales or refinance haven’t yet closed, giving time to achieve the right outcome.
Barn conversions and rural projects
Specialist lenders with appetite for non-standard construction and rural planning, including Class Q permitted development where it applies.
Coastal and regeneration projects
Folkestone, Margate, Ramsgate and Whitstable have active markets driven by regeneration investment and London buyers seeking coastal value.
What makes Kent development finance distinctive
Kent is not a uniform development market. A Maidstone town centre scheme faces different conditions to a coastal refurbishment in Thanet or a commuter-belt new build near Sevenoaks.
Nutrient neutrality in east Kent. Development in parts of Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone and Hythe, Maidstone and Swale has been affected by nutrient neutrality requirements linked to the Stodmarsh nature reserve and the River Stour catchment. In July 2026, Kent County Council opened the Kent Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund to help unlock housing development in the affected catchment. Lenders will still need evidence that the mitigation route for the particular site is available and properly costed.
High land values and viability pressure. At the launch of the 2025/26 Kent Property Market Report, 67% of attendees who responded to a poll cited high land values and their impact on viability as the biggest challenge for Kent property investors and developers. The poll reflects views at the event, rather than a countywide land price measure.
Regeneration creating active opportunity. Margate and Ramsgate have received substantial government investment through Town Deal, Levelling Up and Plan for Neighbourhoods programmes. Gravesend, Dartford, Maidstone and Medway all have major schemes progressing.
Planning constraints, AONB and Green Belt. The Kent Downs National Landscape and Metropolitan Green Belt cover significant parts of west and north Kent. Biodiversity net gain requirements, where applicable, add another consideration to the planning application. Check the current exemptions for the specific site.
East Kent, nutrient neutrality check required
For a project in Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone and Hythe, Maidstone or Swale, check whether the site is in the Stodmarsh catchment. If nutrient neutrality applies, document the planning and mitigation position, its cost and timing before approaching lenders. An offer may depend on resolving the position for the individual site.
What lenders assess on a Kent development case
Development finance Kent cases are assessed against the project, borrower, costs, security and proposed exit, not the postcode alone.
Project appraisal
GDV, total costs and project margin are assessed together. Required returns and whether margin is measured against cost or GDV vary by lender and scheme. Support completed values with comparables for the particular town and property type.
Planning status
Full consent gives the strongest position. Where nutrient neutrality or AONB restrictions apply, the position needs presenting clearly and honestly upfront.
Developer track record
First-time developers can access finance, but the professional team, architect, project manager, QS, carries real weight where personal track record is limited.
Exit strategy and evidence
An exit needs comparable evidence and a realistic timeline, reflecting who the actual buyers will be, holiday-let, second-home or London-mover.
Build cost and contingency
A credible cost schedule, typically 5% contingency for ground-up, 7.5–10% for conversions, ideally reviewed by a quantity surveyor.
Monitoring and drawdowns
Funds are released in stages against a monitoring surveyor’s inspection, worth factoring drawdown speed into contractor payment planning.
How the funding limits work together
A lender will test the proposed advance against GDV, total costs, the borrower’s equity and cash needed to complete the scheme. Some facilities can cover all eligible build costs, but that does not remove the need for equity or override the overall loan limits. Drawdowns normally follow monitoring and certification. More borrowing also increases finance costs, which must fit the project margin.
Kent towns and areas we cover
Our development finance Kent coverage extends across the whole county. Each case is assessed on its merits, with the following areas producing much of the activity we see.
Maidstone
Residential, town centre, logistics corridor.
Canterbury
Conversion, student, regeneration.
Medway
Waterfront, conversion, mixed-use.
Folkestone
Creative Quarter, coastal, regeneration.
Ashford
Growth town, mixed-use, commuter.
Thanet
Margate, Ramsgate, coastal refurbishment.
Dartford
Ebbsfleet corridor, commuter, brownfield.
Tunbridge Wells
Premium residential, conservation.
Sevenoaks
Commuter belt, high value, Green Belt.
How we work with Kent developers
Our approach to development finance Kent cases starts with the appraisal. Before a lender sees any case, we want to understand the GDV assumptions, the cost schedule, the planning position and the exit. A well-structured, honest application produces faster decisions and better terms than one that asks a lender to work things out for themselves.
The appraisal first, the lender second.
As an independent broker we access the full range of development finance providers, challenger banks, specialist development lenders, debt funds and private lenders, and match each case to the lender with genuine appetite for that specific project type, location and borrower profile.
- First-time developers
- Experienced and serial developers
- SPV and limited company borrowers
- Joint venture and partnership structures
- Professional introducers, solicitors, surveyors, agents
- Cases that require honest appraisal before lender approach
Questions about development finance in Kent
How much can I borrow for a Kent development project?
The amount depends on GDV, total costs, borrower equity, planning, lender criteria and the cash needed to complete. Some lenders can cover all eligible build costs within an overall facility, but the permitted loan to GDV and loan to cost limits vary. We can assess the structure against the scheme and proposed exit.
Can I get development finance as a first-time developer in Kent?
Yes, though terms reflect the additional risk. Lenders look closely at the professional team as a partial substitute for personal track record. A straightforward first scheme is more accessible than a complex multi-unit one.
Does nutrient neutrality affect development finance in east Kent?
It can. For a site within the affected Stodmarsh catchment, the planning and nutrient mitigation route, its cost and timing can influence terms or conditions. Check the individual site and show lenders how any required mitigation will be secured.
What is the difference between development finance and a bridging loan?
Bridging is typically used to acquire a property quickly with a defined exit within 12 to 24 months. Development finance is structured for construction or conversion, advanced in staged drawdowns as build progresses, repaid at exit through sales or refinance.
How long does it take to arrange development finance in Kent?
Timing varies with planning status, the valuation, lender underwriting, monitoring and legal work. A complete appraisal and clear mitigation position, where relevant, help prevent avoidable delays; ask for a case-specific timetable.
Can you arrange development finance for a conversion in a Kent conservation area?
Yes, with the right lender. Conservation area designation affects what can be done with the property, not whether it can be funded, provided the consent and any conditions are clear and documented.
Other finance and locations
Discuss a Kent development project.
For development finance Kent requirements of £350,000 or more, send us the site, planning position, acquisition price, build cost, expected GDV, equity contribution and intended exit.
This page provides general information about commercial property development finance and does not constitute personal financial advice. EAS Finance is a trading name of Elite Admin Services Ltd (FRN 1044838), an appointed representative of White Rose Finance Group Ltd (FRN 630772), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. EAS Finance is a credit broker, not a lender. Lending terms, leverage and criteria vary by transaction and lender.