A North-east health authority is set to rake in £27 million by selling off empty buildings in the next few years, new figures show.

The Scottish Government has published a detailed report which outlines the state of NHS Scotland’s assets and facilities after a wide-ranging analysis last year.

The report says NHS Grampian is anticipated to make the money by disposing of assets over the next “five-plus years”.

Only one of the other 10 NHS boards in Scotland is set to earn more money from selling assets – NHS Lothian, which is anticipated to make £72m.

Health chiefs have said the property they will sell will be disused buildings that have been replaced by new facilities.

The report says: “A direct consequence of investment in new facilities can often be a surplus of older accommodation no longer required for operational purposes.

“Boards have identified in their planned disposals of these surplus properties and report an income value of circa £185m (across Scotland) over the next five-plus years. Scottish Futures Trust is actively supporting NHS boards to maximise the potential of income receipts from these disposals.”

An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “Once buildings are declared surplus to requirement, we will sell them on the open market.

“The final amount recouped by NHS Grampian will depend on the state of the property market.

“This money will be reinvested in our services.

“This process can take some time.

“For example, we have just recently concluded the sale of the former Maud Hospital, which closed in 2008.”

The report also praises NHS Grampian for reducing carbon emissions and decreasing the amount of money it spends on energy use in recent years.

The board has achieved this by installing new boilers, LED lighting and a hi-tech heating-control system.