Glossary definition
Stretched Senior
A single-tranche development loan that provides higher leverage than traditional senior debt, typically up to 75-85% of costs or 65-70% of GDV, eliminating the need for a separate mezzanine facility. Stretched senior pricing blends the cost of senior and mezzanine lending into one rate, simplifying the capital structure and avoiding the need for an intercreditor deed.
Definition
A single-tranche development loan that provides higher leverage than traditional senior debt, typically up to 75-85% of costs or 65-70% of GDV, eliminating the need for a separate mezzanine facility. Stretched senior pricing blends the cost of senior and mezzanine lending into one rate, simplifying the capital structure and avoiding the need for an intercreditor deed. It is particularly popular on schemes of £2 million to £15 million where the cost and complexity of a separate mezzanine tranche is disproportionate.
See also
Closely related terms.
Senior Debt
The primary layer of debt in a development finance structure, secured by a first legal charge on the property and sitting at the bottom of the capital stack with first priority on repayment.
Mezzanine Finance
A layer of debt that sits between the senior loan and developer equity in the capital stack, secured by a second legal charge on the property.
Capital Stack
The total structure of funding used to finance a development project, arranged by seniority from senior debt at the bottom through mezzanine finance to developer equity at the top.
LTGDV (Loan to Gross Development Value)
A key lending metric in development finance that expresses the total loan amount as a percentage of the gross development value of the completed scheme.
Unitranche
A single loan facility that combines senior and mezzanine debt into one tranche with a single set of terms and a blended interest rate, removing the need for an intercreditor deed.
Further reading
Guides that touch this term.
Guide
The Capital Stack in Property Development: How to Structure Your Funding
A comprehensive guide to understanding and structuring the capital stack in UK property development, from senior debt through mezzanine to equity contributions.
9 min read readReadGuide
How Does Development Finance Work? A Complete Guide for UK Developers
A ground-up guide to how development finance is structured in the UK, covering loan mechanics, drawdown schedules, monitoring surveyors, and what lenders look for in your application.
5 min read readReadGuide
Development Finance vs Bridging Loans: Which Do You Need?
Two of the most common short-term property finance products, but they serve very different purposes. We break down the rates, terms, and scenarios where each makes sense.
8 min read readRead
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