HTB opens Leeds office to strengthen support for Northern SME developers

• We’ve opened a new office in Leeds to better support SME developers in the North.
• Our local team brings hands-on expertise and stronger connections with brokers and clients.
• We’re reaffirming our long-term commitment to regional development and community growth.

Our new office on Aire Street is now home to our Northern Development Finance team, including Harry Bhogal, Russell Higgins, Josh Swaby, Dan Boswell, and Rob McFarlane. This move gives us a stronger platform to work directly with brokers and developers in the region, offering local expertise and easier access to our development finance solutions.

We’ve been active in the North for years and are proud to be a returning sponsor of the Yorkshire Children’s Charity Property Awards, where we’ll be celebrating ten years of involvement this October.

Our development finance offering is built around the specific needs of SME developers. We provide funding of up to £35m per borrower, with flexible structuring that adapts to today’s market challenges.

Neil Leitch, Managing Director, Development Finance, said:

Our development finance business has always been built on supporting SME developers in regional markets. These are clients who are creating real homes and shaping local communities, often in places where larger lenders are less active. To do that well, you need experienced people on the ground who understand the market and can provide certainty of funding when it matters.

In today’s environment, where developers face planning delays, rising costs and funding uncertainty, flexibility and pragmatic structuring are essential. Leeds has always been an important centre for us, and having a dedicated office here strengthens our ability to support brokers and developers across Yorkshire and the wider North. We are committed to being a trusted, long-term partner for our clients as their projects and businesses evolve.

Michael O’Donnell, Head of Relationship Management, Development Finance, added:

Leeds is a key centre for development and an important hub for our broker relationships across the North. Having an office here gives us a strong platform to build even closer partnerships with brokers and their clients. Local knowledge, trusted relationships and certainty of funding really matter in this market, and we are committed to providing flexible, specialist support that helps developers manage the real-world challenges they face today. We are looking forward to working closely with our partners on the ground and helping them deliver successful projects.

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