The fundamental difference
Development finance funds construction — it's designed for projects where you're building something new or substantially altering an existing structure. Bridging loans fund acquisitions — they're designed for purchasing property quickly, usually with an exit strategy to refinance or sell.
This matters because the loan mechanics are completely different. Development finance involves phased drawdowns aligned to a build programme, with an independent monitoring surveyor overseeing progress. Bridging loans are typically advanced as a single lump sum on completion of the purchase.
If your project involves significant building works (ground-up development, structural conversions, major refurbishment), you need development finance. If you're buying a property that needs little or no work — or light cosmetic refurbishment — a bridging loan is appropriate.
Cost comparison
On a headline basis, bridging loans appear more expensive. Monthly rates of 0.55-1.0% equate to 6.6-12% annualised — broadly similar to development finance. But the total cost equation is different because of how interest accrues.
With development finance, you only pay interest on funds drawn. If your total facility is £2M but you've only drawn £500K in month one, you pay interest on £500K. By month six you might have drawn £1.2M. This phased accrual means the actual interest cost is significantly lower than if you'd borrowed the full amount from day one.
With a bridging loan, you borrow the full amount upfront and pay interest from day one on the entire balance. For a 12-month £1M bridge at 0.75% monthly, total interest is £90,000. A £1M development finance facility drawn over 12 months with an average balance of £650,000 at 8% annual costs approximately £52,000 in interest.
However, development finance has higher arrangement fees (typically 1.5-2% vs 1-1.5% for bridging) and the cost of monitoring surveyor visits (£500-£1,500 each). Factor in all costs when comparing.
Speed of completion
Bridging loans are faster. Specialist bridging lenders can complete in 5-14 days, with some offering same-day completion for repeat borrowers. This speed makes bridging essential for auction purchases (28-day completion deadline) and competitive acquisitions.
Development finance takes longer — typically 3-6 weeks from application to first drawdown. The lender needs to instruct a valuation, review your build costs and programme, appoint a monitoring surveyor, and complete legal due diligence. This timeline is appropriate because the lender is committing to a multi-month facility with ongoing drawdowns.
If you need to secure a site quickly but plan to develop it, a common strategy is to use a bridging loan for the acquisition, then refinance into a development finance facility once planning and pre-construction work is complete. The bridging loan buys you time; the development finance funds the build.
When to use each product
Use development finance when: you're building new homes, converting commercial to residential, carrying out heavy structural refurbishment, or any project with a build programme exceeding 3 months and significant construction costs.
Use a bridging loan when: you're buying at auction, securing a site ahead of planning, purchasing below market value for quick resale, funding a gap between selling one property and buying another, or carrying out light refurbishment (cosmetic upgrades, new kitchen/bathroom, redecoration).
Use both when: you need to acquire a site quickly (bridge for the purchase) and then develop it (development finance for the build). This two-stage approach is common and many brokers will arrange both facilities simultaneously with different lenders.