How are newer players navigating the chaos?

The specialist property finance sector is at a critical inflection point, and the latest issue of B&C Magazine dives straight into the heart of the pressures — and possibilities — reshaping our market right now.

Our cover story this issue pulls no punches: SME Builders at Breaking Point – What’s Next?. In collaboration with Close Brothers Property Finance, we hosted a roundtable with 11 members of its Tomorrow’s Developer Network to get a real-world view of what’s happening on the ground. Planning delays, rising build costs, and a regulatory environment that seems to ever shift are just a few of the hurdles. It’s a tough market even for seasoned developers — so how are newer players navigating the chaos? The answers may lie in mentorship, support networks, and the kind of practical insight only experience can offer.

Looking further afield, we ask what impact Donald Trump’s newly introduced tariffs could have on planning permissions and long-term investment strategies here in the UK. It’s a bold question, but one that’s increasingly relevant for developers with international supply chains and cross-border finance partners.

In this issue, we also sit down with MSP Capital’s new CEO Leigh Bartlett to unpack his five-year strategy for the specialist lender, and Karen Rodrigues, chief sales officer at Market Financial Solutions, takes us on a whirlwind tour of the growing web of legislation developers and landlords are now expected to navigate — covering everything from biodiversity to tenants' rights.

Meanwhile, Hampshire Trust Bank’s Neil Leitch explains why planning issues continue to hit smaller developers the hardest, and Arc & Co CEO Andrew Robinson doesn’t shy away from the ethics question: are lenders cutting out brokers — and is this a trend that’s here to stay?.

Our new section, On the Rise, spotlights some of the people and strategies gaining momentum. We catch up with StreamBank’s Aiman Maklad about his journey so far. Elsewhere, HTB’s Andrea Glasgow talks us through the drivers behind the growing demand for bridging — and what common pitfall borrowers (and brokers) need to avoid. We also hear from Jamie Pritchard, MS Lending Group’s new sales director, about his people-first strategy for future growth, and celebrate Paragon Bank hitting the big 3-0 with MD Louisa Sedgwick, who explains how the bank is staying agile and innovative three decades in.

Finally, if you were (or weren’t) at the B&C Awards 2025, you’ll want to flip to our special breakout feature, packed with photos from the night, a full list of the winners, and a look back at what made the day so memorable.

It’s a time of flux, but also of opportunity — and as always, we’re here to bring you the stories, insights, and voices shaping the future of specialist property finance.