Investors pumped almost €1bn into healthcare-related property in the Netherlands last year, according to research by real estate advisor Capital Value.

Five years ago, investments in the care sector totalled no more than €100m, Capital Value said. The 2018 total of €945m represents a 35% rise on 2017.

‘More and more institutional investors are setting up care funds,’ said director Kees van Haarten in Wednesday’s Financieele Dagblad. Bouwinvest, Syntrus Achmea and Amvest are among the companies to do so, he said.

Care homes, sheltered housing schemes and clinics are potential investments but hospitals are currently out of bounds in the Netherlands.

Van Harten said in the increase in investment is due to the greying population. There are currently some 1.3 million people over the age of 75 in the Netherlands but their number is forecast to reach 2.1 million by 2030.