Real estate investment manager Barings has acquired two logistics properties in Sarstedt, south of Hanover, Germany, from Hanover-based Bertram Projektmanagement.
One of the assets is an existing logistics property with a rental area of c30,000 sq m, which is fully let to a leading drugstore operator. The second is a c28,000 sq m logistics asset that is being developed by Bertram Bau und Invest GmbH. Goldbeck will act as the general contractor for the property and completion is due in the third quarter of 2021.
The c108,000 sq m site benefits from excellent accessibility, with a direct connection to the A7 motorway, which links the greater Hanover area with both Hamburg and southern Germany. The A2 motorway, a central east-west axis between the Ruhr area and Berlin, also crosses in the immediate vicinity. The site is located in the heart of a junction of three corridors of the Trans-European Transport Network, which extends from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia.
The total volume of the acquisition is dependent on the level of leasing achieved on the project at completion and is capped at a total of €50 million, said the company in a press release. The acquisition increases Barings’ strategically located European logistics portfolio to 2.4 million sq m across eight countries, including France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Sweden.
Gunther Deutsch, Managing Director, Head of Real Estate Transactions – Europe at Barings, says: “This asset fits perfectly into Barings European logistics core strategy buying into strong markets with development potential in the future. This transaction represents our fifth acquisition in Europe taking the 2020 logistics acquisition volume to EUR260 million. Despite Coivid-19, we are still keen to expand our logistics investment programme in the Nordic countries, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France and Spain. Transactions with upside potential or forward deal structures are our main focus this year.”
Christoph Wittkop, Managing Director, Real Estate Country Head – Germany at Barings, says: “These high quality properties are well located in a key logistics hub with excellent connectivity to the rest of Europe, which is why this purchase aligns with our core strategy. Demand for logistics space continues to rise across Europe, in part thanks to an acceleration in the growth of online sales penetration as a result of lockdown measures across Europe and the increased importance of robust supply chains. Our extensive network means we have the local knowledge and experience in many different markets that enables us to secure attractive investment opportunities for our investors.”
