A CARE home operator chaired by Batley-born businessman Lawrence Tomlinson has completed the sale of nine its care homes.

The sale by Ideal LNT Group to Sanctuary Group comprises five fully operational care homes that were run by LNT’s Ideal Care Homes business and four new builds, which will be completed by LNT’s development arm, LNT Construction.

The homes, which are in Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham, will be managed by Sanctuary Care, a subsidiary of Sanctuary Group, and will take its portfolio of homes to 57 across the UK.

Sanctuary Group chief executive David Bennett said: “This is an excellent investment and will allow us to expand our care provision in the Midlands to meet the needs of the region’s ageing population.

“Our care business plays an important part in the continued success of Sanctuary Group and this acquisition supports our aims for long term sustainable growth in the care sector.

“We extend a warm welcome to the highly experienced employees running the five operational care homes.

“Their skills will complement ours and we are looking forward to working with them to continue providing exceptional standards of care and support to residents.”

LNT chairman Mr Tomlinson said: “We share Sanctuary’s values and commitment to providing well-designed, state-of-the-art facilities coupled with high quality, accessible care, so we are delighted that they are acquiring and managing these nine homes.”

Sanctuary’s acquisition will be celebrated later this week when the first of the newly completed properties, Lime Tree Court Residential Care Home in Wolverhampton, opens to the public.