Problem 3 in BPP Revision Kit P4

A part of the problem is as followed:
“…There is also a view, expressed by some of the company’s principal equity investors, that the company should consider returning cash to them through the sale of its property holdings. The company has over 200 stores nationally and 15 overseas, of which all except five are owned by the company. In the domestic economy, growth in the value of commercial property has averaged 8% per annum in recent years whilst retail growth has remained static at 5.5%.
A sale and leaseback, or the flotation of a separate property company that would rent the stores to Solar Supermarkets at commercial rates, are two suggestions that have been made at investor meetings. Either approach,it is suggested, would return value to investors and create a supply of capital for further expansion…”

I think the problem is quite contradictory, as it states that the company is willing to return cash to the investor through the sale of its property holdings. However, a sale and leaseback, or the flotation of a separate property company that would rent the stores to Solar Supermarkets would create cash to Solar Supermarkets, not returning cash to the investor.
Please help me to verify this!