FRP Real Estate Advisory structures £7.9m acquisition bridging loan for Mayfair mixed-use asset

The Real Estate Advisory team has arranged a £7.9m acquisition bridging facility with CSBF to fund the purchase of a trophy mixed-use asset in Mayfair, London, set for comprehensive refurbishment and brown-to-green repositioning.

Background

Acquiring trophy real estate in Mayfair demands speed and certainty. Our client—an established brown-to-green office developer with a strong track record—identified a rare opportunity: a mixed-use asset behind a historic listed façade in one of London’s most competitive postcodes. The 7,500 sq ft property, comprising ground-floor retail and upper-floor offices, was vacant and ripe for repositioning. The developer’s vision: a complete refurbishment targeting BREEAM Excellent, including façade restoration, internal reconfiguration, and a premium roof terrace.

The challenge was timing. Planning consent for the extensive works faced administrative backlogs following a cyberattack on Westminster Council’s planning portal. The acquisition window was tight and couldn’t wait for formal planning determination.

Action

FRP Real Estate Advisory Director Philip Kay arranged a £7.9m acquisition bridging facility with CSBF, structured to deliver transaction certainty without the traditional delays of formal valuation or personal guarantees.

• £7.9m acquisition bridging facility structured with CSBF for rapid deployment
• No formal valuation or personal guarantees required, enabling a highly efficient execution profile
• Four-week completion from initial instruction to full drawdown
• Historic listed façade with planning consent imminent for restoration, refurbishment, and premium roof terrace addition
• BREEAM Excellent target for the repositioned scheme
• Follow-on capex facility already in advanced development to fund the construction phase
  

Outcome

The £7.9m facility successfully completed, securing the trophy Mayfair asset ahead of formal planning determination. With planning consent now imminent, the developer is well-positioned to progress the property’s comprehensive refurbishment and modern reconfiguration. FRP is already working to close the follow-on capex facility within weeks, enabling seamless transition into the construction phase. The transaction exemplifies the speed and certainty that structured, pragmatic financing can deliver for prime London assets under time pressure.

The key to this deal was recognising that our client needed more than capital—they needed certainty and speed in a competitive market. By working with a lender willing to move decisively on streamlined terms, we removed the friction that typically constrains trophy asset acquisitions. Planning approval is imminent, and we’re already positioning the next phase of funding to keep momentum moving forward.