Re Sale of Properties to aAIM

Land Securities Group Plc 28 September 2004 PRESS RELEASE 28 September 2004 For immediate release LAND SECURITIES GROUP PLC ('Land Securities' / 'Group') Land Securities Trillium and Norwich Union agree sale of seven properties to Active Asset Investment Management Limited ('aAIM') for £100.5 million Land Securities announces that its property outsourcing business, Land Securities Trillium has, together with client Norwich Union, agreed the sale of a portfolio of seven properties to aAIM for £100.5 million. At the outset of the 25-year property outsourcing agreement, which commenced in June 2004, it was agreed that the onward sale of these properties would achieve best value for both Land Securities Trillium and Norwich Union. Land Securities Trillium will continue to manage and maintain these buildings on behalf of Norwich Union. Norwich Union will occupy the properties for a lease term, in most cases, of 25 years. The purchaser will benefit from an index linked (RPI) rental income with a covenant strength of AA-. The properties are located in Norwich, Perth and York. Norwich Union Insurance's Norwich headquarters, where Land Securities Trillium is undertaking a £92 million refurbishment project, is not included in the transaction. Ian Ellis, Chief Executive of Land Securities Trillium, said, 'The sale of these buildings demonstrates our commitment to delivering innovative solutions to our clients'. Stuart Smith, Director of Occupied Property Strategy of Norwich Union, said, 'We are delighted to have successfully concluded this transaction which was a key part of our property outsourcing deal and one which has delivered best value'. Mark Tagliaferri, aAIM Chairman, commented, 'We are delighted to have worked with Norwich Union and Land Securities Trillium on this innovative and complex deal. The portfolio consists of prime property let to an undoubted covenant on long-term leases which meets all of our investment criteria'. Land Securities Trillium and Norwich Union were advised by CB Richard Ellis and aAIM was advised by DTZ. -End- For further information, please contact: Land Securities Financial Dynamics Ian Ellis/Emma Denne Stephanie Highett Tel: 020 7796 5500 Tel: 020 7831 3113 Norwich Union David Ross Tel: 07786 526350 (m) Tel: 01603 682730 (w) aAIM Mark Tagliaferri/Mat Webb-Jenkins Tel: 020 7495 3240 Notes to editors: Land Securities Trillium Land Securities Trillium, part of the Land Securities Group, is one of the UK's leading providers of property outsourcing solutions. Capital, estate strategy, property management, facilities management and risk management services are combined in a complete outsourcing package. Land Securities Trillium currently owns or manages over 8,400 properties throughout the UK. Clients include the Department for Work and Pensions, the BBC, BT and Norwich Union. Land Securities Trillium announced on 14 June 2004 that it agreed a major new deal with Norwich Union to manage and improve its core occupational estate. The 25-year deal involves the transfer of 111,500 sq m of office accommodation with an investment value in excess of £150 million and Land Securities Trillium investing £92 million in the refurbishment of Norwich Union's 30,890 sq m Norwich headquarters, which is to be carried out by Land Securities. Land Securities Trillium will receive an initial income of circa £20 million per annum from the contract, which will increase over the next three years as the Norwich project is completed. Land Securities Land Securities is a FTSE 100 company, quoted on the London Stock Exchange. Its market capitalisation is £5.6 billion (Sept 2004). It has been at the forefront of the UK's commercial property industry for 60 years. Today, the Group maintains its market leading position as the UK's largest quoted property company by providing commercial accommodation and property services to a wide range of occupiers. The Group's objective is to create attractive and sustainable returns for its shareholders through its activities, which include property investment, development and property outsourcing. Land Securities holds a market leading position in three areas of the UK commercial property market: • Central London offices • Retail, including shopping centres and out of town retail parks across the UK and • Property outsourcing. Its £8 billion investment portfolio includes more than 735,000 sq m of office space in Central London and substantial retail holdings in Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road and Notting Hill Gate. In addition the Group owns 23 shopping centres and retail warehouse properties located across the UK. It has a substantial development programme with over 20 development projects either underway or being planned. Projects include regeneration schemes in historical British cities, three major retail-led urban regeneration schemes and eight Central London developments. The Group is also masterplanning one of Europe's largest regeneration schemes in Kent Thameside. The Group leads the market in property outsourcing where, through Land Securities Trillium, it provides accommodation and property-related services to the Department for Work and Pensions, the BBC, Norwich Union and through a joint venture, Telereal, to BT. The Group is committed to environmental initiatives and community involvement. This has been recognised by the Group's inclusion in the BiTC Corporate Responsibility Index, FTSE4Good Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Its environmental performance has been recognised by the award of three Green Apple Environment Awards and receiving ISO14001 accreditation for its work with the DWP. Norwich Union Norwich Union is the UK's largest insurer. With a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses, Norwich Union insures: - one in five households - one in seven motor vehicles - more than 800,000 businesses Norwich Union products are available through a variety of distribution channels including brokers, corporate partners such as banks and building societies and Norwich Union Direct. It is also the UK's largest provider of life, pensions and investment products and one of the leading IFA providers. IFAs provide around 75% of the company's long-term savings business in the UK. Norwich Union has strategic alliances with building societies and other leading UK brand names including Tesco Personal Finance and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. Norwich Union's news releases and a selection of images are available from Aviva's internet press centre at www.aviva.com/media. An ISDN facility is available for studio quality broadcast. Call the press office on 08703 66 68 68 aAIM aAIM (Active Asset Investment Management Limited) is a specialist property advisory and management company which acquires and manages property portfolios on behalf of itself and retained clients and funds, which are targeted at high net worth and sophisticated investors. aAIM is a Private Limited Company and is majority owned by its founders and executive management team. aAIM has acquired c.£500m of investment property in the last 12 months. Details of aAIM's management team and deal history are available on the company's web site at www.aaim.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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