Care home operator Barchester Healthcare will open 12 new properties with 766 beds before September 2012 in line with its strategy to grow the portfolio by around 6% annually.
Jersey-based Lakeside Manor Care Home (pictured), currently under construction by AC Mauger, is among Barchester’s Lymm, Saltford, Balsall Common and Hopton facilities due to open between February-September 2012. The sites will provide 318 beds.
Barchester has also signed leases on six Castleoak properties expected to be completed by September 2012, and house 370 residents. In addition, it has signed a lease on a Guilford home with 78 beds.
Jim Fogden, director of acquisitions and business development at Barchester, said: “We are on the high end of the market for care homes, and our ideal process is to choose the land we want, and own our care homes.”
He added that Castleoak is a trusted Barchester partner, and the leases are a good opportunity “during a time when it can still be difficult to secure bank funding”.
The company has 210 homes, and will have at least 222 by September 2012. The firm has set 10-15 new home openings a year as its target. Barchester is also in negotiations with some Southern Cross landlords.
joanna.bourke@estatesgazette.com
