Charter Hall Social Infrastructure becomes latest REIT to acquire childcare properties

Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT (CQE) have confirmed the purchase of two large ECEC centres located in South East Queensland for an undisclosed sum marking the latest commitment by institutional investors into the early childhood education and care freehold space. 

The news comes after HealthCo’s recent acquisition of thirteen centres and Federation Asset Management’s new partnership with global fund manager BlackRock to build on its portfolio of eight centres and marks the first acquisitions in the ECEC space by CQE after a period of acquisition consolidation. 

The CQE centres together comprise over 300 licensed places and are considered to be well located. Both have high occupancies and will be tenanted by a well-regarded premium national operator on 15-year leases with fixed 3.25% increases. 

The transactions occurred off market with an existing CQE tenant and will see their portfolio remain comfortably above 300 centres making it still by far the largest freehold owner in the market. 

CQE also acquired a new healthcare property as part of the deal.

“Consistent with our broadened investment strategy of investing in diversified social infrastructure assets with long lease terms and strong tenant covenants, it is pleasing to add these high quality healthcare and childcare properties to the portfolio,” Travis Butcher, Fund Manager of CQE said.   

“These acquisitions demonstrate the benefits of a broadened strategy which provides CQE with greater opportunities for investment in premium assets with strong property fundamentals.  The addition of these assets results in CQE’s gross assets exceeding $1.6 billion and continuing to be the largest listed social infrastructure property fund in Australia.”