Polytunnel Finance Explained
Polytunnels are a significant capital investment for soft fruit, vegetable and horticultural businesses. A single large polytunnel complex can cost £50,000–£300,000 or more, making asset finance an attractive way to preserve working capital while expanding production capacity.
While polytunnels are not always classed as permanent structures in the same way as steel buildings, specialist agricultural lenders increasingly treat high-value, long-term polytunnel installations as financeable fixed assets.
Polytunnel Finance Rates - October 2026
| Lender | Rate From | Min Finance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shawbrook | 6.4% APR | £20,000 | Horticultural structures specialism |
| Aldermore | 6.6% APR | £15,000 | Flexible on structure type |
| Close Brothers | 6.8% APR | £10,000 | Considered case by case |
What Types of Polytunnel Can Be Financed?
Soft Fruit Polytunnels
Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and other soft fruit production tunnels - often the largest installations and most readily financed.
Vegetable Production
Salad, brassica and root vegetable tunnels for year-round production.
Multi-Bay Systems
Large multi-bay gutter-connected polytunnel complexes are increasingly treated as permanent infrastructure by lenders.
Nursery & Ornamental
Propagation and nursery polytunnels for ornamental plant production. Assessed on individual merit.
Key Considerations for Polytunnel Finance
Lenders will want to understand the permanence of the installation, the underlying land tenure, and the cropping plan for the tunnels. Owned land is preferred; long-term Farm Business Tenancies (10 years or more remaining) are generally acceptable. Shorter tenancies may limit options.