Key Facts:
- 100% Development Finance
- Bridging Finance
- Speculative Funding
- Preliminary Loans
- 48 hour in principle response on all propositions
An associate member of:
National expansion is the key for G&C Finance after a successful second year
07/02/07
G&C Finance is aiming to secure deals worth more than £200 million over the next 12 months as it consolidates its position as a major player in the 100% residential development finance sector.
The Solihull-based company has had an exceptional two years during which both its staff and turnover have doubled and deals with developers worth almost £400 million have been secured.
The company has also launched an operation out of Cardiff covering the south-west of England and south Wales, and has recently opened an office in Leeds which will service all of northern England and Scotland.
Managing Director, Adrian Willet, said the past 12 months had been extremely busy for G&C and 2007 promises to be even more successful. "Staff numbers at G&C Finance have grown from five to 15 in the past 12 months and I believe we now have the right team in place to fulfil our growth potential", he said.
"We bring key differentiators to the 100 per cent development finance market - in-house property, construction and banking expertise, and with this, a pledge to evaluate any proposition put to us within 48 hours. To do this, we clearly needed the right people and therefore in the past year we have appointed a team with experience in quantity and building surveying, planning, land agency, development consultancy, law and other associated skills. The result of this active recruitment of key personnel is that we have seen the business grow in real terms by around 65 per cent year on year."
Launched two years ago by developers Gallagher and Countrywide Property Holdings, G&C not only offers 100 per cent development finance to small and medium-sized residential and mixed-use developers, but also provides a wide-ranging consultancy service offering expertise in everything from site sourcing to scheme marketing.
In the past two years, projects financed through G&C have included residential and mixed-use schemes in towns and cities across the UK, including major developments in Cornwall, Cheltenham, Cambridge and Wakefield, and 2007 promises to see more of the same.
Adrian Willet added: "This year will see the business take on a national dimension. We already have deals from Scotland to Cornwall but we want to expand our presence in these marketplaces and create regional critical mass.
"The future should see us looking to open a southern base and, subject to the level of demand, we may open a dedicated office north of the border, although currently the Leeds branch will handle all enquiries across the north of England and Scotland.
"We may then look to open sub regional offices in cities such as Manchester to cover the north-west, and perhaps Nottingham or Leicester to cover the East Midlands. The strong level of enquiries we have received since launching the company has clearly shown us that there is a huge market appetite for the services we provide."
G&C Finance has backed more than 90 mixed-use and residential schemes over the past two years with a GDV of around £400 million. A fund of £200 million has been earmarked for the south-west and the north over the next 12 months, together with an active expansion programme for the Midlands and Southern England & East Anglia.
With its key selling points, Adrian is expecting a strong enquiry level from developers in the coming year. He said: "What makes us particularly attractive as a company is that we don't demand personal guarantees. We also recognise the time pressures developers are under to secure sites and we ensure that our commitment to fund a project will always meet the developers, and landowners, timeframes.
"G&C's business model also allows the more adventurous smaller developer to inject some flair into a development and create a bespoke product for an increasingly discerning buying public."
G&C Finance are 100% development funding & finance experts.