Aspen Bridging has appointed Steve Gregory as its first Southern Region Business Development Manager (BDM).

Covering south London, South East and South West regions, Steve will be responsible for creating closer face-to-face relationships with his existing network and building new partnerships to maximise opportunities created by the lender’s new 2022 rates and product card and Bridge-To-Let (BTL) product.

Steve joins from Castle Trust where he worked as a BDM from July 2018 to February 2022, before which he was Business Development Executive for South East London and the South East from July 2016 to July 2018.

He will report to Aspen’s Head of Sales, Ian Miller-Hawes, who said: “Steve comes with huge experience in the Bridging and Bridge-To-Let sectors and has already built great relationships with intermediaries in the South.

“As a business we have ambitious growth targets and now is the time to start putting professionals in regions who can service brokers locally as well as boost our profile, given his reputation for delivery he will be a massive asset over the coming years.”

Earlier this month Aspen launched its 2022 rates and product card with a new Development Exit & Refurbishment product with up to 80% LTV for experienced developers with clean credit.

The lender’s Commercial and Semi-Commercial products, HMO and Residential bridges all benefitted from a mixture of higher LTVs and lower rates, with Flat Rate products now available from 0.64% pm. The lender’s popular Stepped Rate continues to be available from 0.39% pm.

Aspen also entered the Bridge-To-Let (BTL) market with an innovative product designed to offer wider use flexibility and lower ERC’s than existing BTL or hybrid offerings.

Available up to 80% LTV, with bridge rates starting at 0.64% pm and BTL rates of 4.49% pa, the product is open to UK and foreign applicants up to a maximum loan size of £10m. Terms run for either 18 months or two years, which are split equally between the retained bridge initial period and the serviced BTL.