Market data

The UK commercial property market in numbers

The size and shape of the UK commercial investment and short-term lending markets, the backdrop a stabilisation lender reads when it sizes an exit, drawn from the specialist research houses and the lending bodies.

Matt Lenzie
Written and reviewed by Matt Lenzie Founder & Principal Broker · 25 years arranging stabilisation finance · Reviewed June 2026
In short

Around £62.8bn of UK commercial property changed hands in 2025 (CBRE, 2025), with prime yields hardening to an average near 5.91% (Savills, end-2025). The bridging and development loan book reached a record £13.7bn (BDLA, Q3 2025), the pool of short-term capital that funds stabilisation and exit.

At a glance

  • UK investment volume, 2025£62.8bn (CBRE, 2025)
  • Average prime yield5.91% (Savills, end-2025)
  • Bridging and development loan book£13.7bn (BDLA, Q3 2025)
  • Bridging and development applications£11.7bn (BDLA, Q4 2025)
  • As at2025/26

How big is the UK commercial investment market?

Around £62.8bn of UK commercial real estate traded in 2025 (CBRE, 2025), a deep and liquid market that sets the exit for any stabilisation play. Prime yields hardened through the year to an average near 5.91% across sectors (Savills, end-2025), which lifts stabilised valuations and sharpens the refinance.

Why it matters for finance

A stabilisation bridge is repaid by a refinance or a sale. The depth of the investment market and the direction of prime yields are what give a lender confidence in that exit, and what set the leverage a building will support while it leases up.

How deep is the short-term lending market?

The UK bridging and development loan book reached a record £13.7bn (BDLA, Q3 2025), up by more than half year on year, with applications at £11.7bn (BDLA, Q4 2025). That growth has been driven in part by senior development lenders tightening criteria, pushing more sponsors toward bridging for acquisition, planning and exit positions.

Sources: CBRE (UK Real Estate Investment Figures Q4 2025, Full-year 2025); Savills (Market in Minutes: UK Commercial, 2025); Knight Frank (Prime Yield Guide (Oct 2025, Nov 2025, Jan 2026), 2025 to 2026); BDLA (Bridging and Development Lenders Association quarterly data, Q3 to Q4 2025); JLL (UK Logistics Big Box Market Dynamics Q4 2025, Q4 2025).

FAQ

The UK commercial property market in numbers: common questions

How much commercial property is traded in the UK each year?

Around £62.8bn traded in 2025 (CBRE, 2025), a deep and liquid market across sectors.

How big is the UK bridging market?

The bridging and development loan book reached a record £13.7bn (BDLA, Q3 2025), the authoritative whole-market measure.

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