Arc & Co. and LBB showcase collaborative strength on £1.6m new-build residential project
17 September 2025
A repeat LBB client – an SME developer based in Huddersfield – began talks with both Arc & Co. and LBB to support a new ground-up development just outside Manchester, in Ashton.
Finance: structuring for maximum leverage
The client wanted more than a lender introduction. Despite having direct relationships with lenders, he turned to Corey Dennis, Senior Broker at specialist debt and equity advisory Arc & Co., for guidance and expertise on how to structure the facility to maximise the net loan.
The development involved three detached two-storey houses, and technicalities around an additional land parcel meant careful structuring was required.
Corey ensured the legal elements were handled correctly, unlocking the full value of the site. The result was a £1.12m loan against a GDV of £1.6m – representing 70% LTGDV and 84% LTC, stretching the lender’s usual parameters.
Despite the borrower already holding a direct relationship with the lender, this transaction reflected the benefits of broker involvement, which included flexibility on net loan; a more competitive rate; and a smoother process to execution.
With a rate of 9% p.a. over 12 months, and the added advantage of a local BDM able to meet the client on site, the borrower secured a facility that was tailored, efficient, and deliverable.
Warranty: value beyond price
Alongside the finance arrangement, the developer required a new-build structural warranty with a £900,000 sum insured.
Although he had already obtained a direct warranty quote, Oliver Smith, Senior Consultant at LBB, demonstrated the benefit of LBB’s consultative approach.
By negotiating on the client’s behalf, he secured a more competitive premium – below the typical 1% of build costs, payable over 12 months – a structure not usually available when going direct.
The added value was not only financial. Oliver also arranged for the client’s preferred surveyors to be accepted. LBB facilitates the relationship between all parties, working towards a solution that is efficient, communicative, and suitable.
Later, when the lender required multiple indemnity policies as a funding condition, Oliver consolidated four separate covers into a single policy – streamlining administration and reducing the overall cost.
In short, the broker relationship delivered access, flexibility, and efficiency that the developer could not have achieved alone.
This project underlines the tangible value of using specialist brokers. Despite being knowledgeable and connected in their own right, by working with LBB and Arc & Co., the client saved money, gained access to enhanced terms, reduced administrative burden, and unlocked additional borrowing capacity – benefits that simply wouldn’t have been available by going direct. The partnership allowed the developer to focus on building homes, knowing that both the finance and warranty had been optimised on his behalf.
