Assura agrees £22.4m sale of health centres

HEALTHCARE developer Assura has agreed to sell its interests in seven NHS LIFT companies for £22.4m.

The Warrington-based group, which builds and rents GP surgeries, said the deal represented a premium over the current book value of £11.2m.

LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trusts) companies took public and private sector investment to deliver primary healthcare facilities which were then let on long-term leases to NHS commissioning boards.

Assura said the contracts are conditional on relevant third party consents from LIFT project counterparties and on equity fundraising by one of the potential acquirers.

Chief executive Graham Roberts said: “Following this sale announced today, we have now realised more than £30m from our non-core assets and LIFT investments in the last 18 months, as we to continue to increase our focus on developing, owning and managing primary care properties.”