United Trust Bank launches new Real Estate Finance Division
United Trust Bank (UTB) has combined its Property Development and Structured Property Solutions divisions to create a new Real Estate Finance division, strengthening the Bank’s ability to support developers and investors operating in an increasingly complex and diverse UK property market.
The move reflects the evolving nature of real estate lending in the property development and investment sector. Faced with rising costs, tighter margins, planning delays and increasing regulatory demands, many developers are broadening their activities across different markets and tenures whilst adopting more flexible approaches to structuring projects and deploying capital. As schemes become more varied and complex, access to funding solutions across multiple stages of the property lifecycle has become increasingly important.
By bringing together two highly experienced specialist lending teams under a single Real Estate Finance division, UTB will offer a more integrated approach to funding. The combined division will provide a broad range of solutions spanning acquisition, development, refurbishment, investment, stabilisation and refinancing across residential, commercial and mixed-use property throughout England and Wales.
The new division is led by Adam Bovingdon as managing director of Real Estate Finance. Supporting Adam will be Orla Costello, leading Property Development across London & South-East, Andy Thomson, leading Living Sectors and Property Development in the Regions, Liam Lawlor, heading up Structured Property Finance and Ben Peters, leading Strategic Partnerships.
Together the enlarged team combines decades of specialist real estate lending experience, providing customers and broker partners access to a wider range of expertise whilst maintaining the relationship-led approach for which UTB is recognised.
The announcement follows a period of strong growth across UTB’s real estate lending businesses, particularly within Structured Property Finance, and forms part of the Bank’s continued investment in specialist lending capabilities. UTB will continue expanding both teams as demand for flexible real estate finance continues to grow.
Adam said: “The way our customers approach development and investment has evolved considerably in recent years. Today’s developers are increasingly operating across multiple sectors, tenures and funding strategies, requiring a lending partner capable of supporting them throughout the entire property lifecycle and across a variety of project types. Bringing together our Property Development and Structured Property Finance divisions enables us to do exactly that.
“This is an exciting new chapter for UTB. We’ve combined two exceptional teams with complementary skills, deep sector expertise and a shared commitment to relationship banking. For our customers and broker partners it means broader expertise, greater flexibility and more seamless experience.
“We remain committed to supporting developers and investors through changing market conditions and helping them capitalise on opportunities wherever they arise. We’re looking to the future with great confidence and are excited to continue to grow alongside our customers.”