Gross mortgage lending among the top 20 lenders increased by 17% last year according to research from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Santander saw a second successive year of strong growth – up 50% on 2013 – moving to second position on the list of the UK’s largest lenders.
The six largest lenders saw growth in activity of 17%, with Santander increasing its annual gross lending by 50% to £27.5bn.
The lenders ranked seventh to 20th saw growth of 46% overall, with four seeing a significant growth in volumes. Bank of Ireland doubled its lending in 2015, while OneSavings Bank increased lending by 88%, Paragon by 75% and Clydesdale by 61%.
The concentration of lending among the six largest lenders has now fallen to 72%, from a high of 86% in 2009.
The CML says market concentration looks to have normalised in the past three years, with growth in lending to home-buyers and buy-to-let investors providing opportunities in all sectors.
CML forecasts show a stable path for gross lending, which is expected to rise to £209bn in 2015 before accelerating to £230bn in 2016.
