Foreign investors put almost €1.5bn into Dutch retail premises last year, according to property advisory group CBRE.

This is almost double 2013’s investments of €805m, CBRE said. Foreign investors accounted for 47% of last year’s investment in retail property.

The bulk of last year’s growth was due to the sale of shopping centres to US equity houses Mount Kellett and Blackstone, the Financieele Dagblad says.

Nevertheless, ‘although the Dutch economy is showing signs of recovery, this is not the case in the retail lease market,’ CBRE said. It was a difficult year for mid-price retailers, while budget outlets benefited.