Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have all taken roles on the £1.2bn refinancing and development financing of Center Parcs.

The deal has seen the UK holiday company complete a £740m refinancing of its existing debt and secure a £150m loan to finance the construction of its fifth site in Woburn, Bedfordshire.

In addition, Center Parcs has teamed up with private equity house Blackstone to issue a £280m high-yield bond to fund further development. The bond was listed on the Irish Stock Exchange at the close of February this year.

Freshfields advised the underwriters – Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays Capital, HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group – on the refinancing and construction loan with a team led by structured finance partner Marcus Mackenzie, alongside banking partner Simon Johnson, tax partner Murray Clayson and real estate partner Annette Byron.

The magic circle law firm also advised the banks on the high-yield bond led by London US securities partner Simone Bono. HSBC acted as the trustee, with structured finance partner Chris Barratt heading up the team advising the bank.

Meanwhile, A&O and Simpson Thacher both advised Center Parcs and Blackstone, with the A&O team led by City securitisation partner Christian Lambie and City corporate partner Michael Wolfson leading for Simpson Thacher.

Mackenzie said: "This certainly showed an alternative way of raising much-needed capital for those companies that are rich in real estate and are in need of refinancing. For the right deal banks are prepared to lend, but there's also a lot of liquidity out there in the capital markets, with investors keen to find a home at the moment to put that liquidity to work.

"This is an opportune moment for companies to do these kind of deals, assuming there are no new major shocks to the markets."