New Member
Greetings from the Auction Mart Developer
Morning everyone.
I've been following the message board now on ASDA/Pennyland Farm/Thurso Auction Mart for some time now and thought I might put the real story forward. My name is Colin Graham and I work for Miller who is, as of 25 July, the new owner of the Auction Mart site.
Having seen that there have been a variety of press articles/threads on the subject of the Auction Mart site recently, I thought I'd give the opportunity to put any questions you may have directly to me, and I'll post up the answers here on Caithness.org. This way you'll know that you're getting it straight from the 'horse's mouth'.
Firstly, some facts:-
1. Miller Developments bought the auction mart site from United Auctions (whose parent company is Elphinstone) on 25 July 2006. We saw it as an obvious brownfield regeneration site. UA continue to lease the site rent free from us until the end of this year.
2. ASDA (or, more accurately, McLagan Investments, who are one of the ASDA stable of companies, as any Google search will confirm) have an option to buy approximately 5.5 acres (out of a total of 8.5 acres) of the auction mart from us at an agreed price.
3. ASDA entered into this option with United Auctions in May of this year, shortly before I believe the Pennyland Farm application went to the Area Planning Committee in June.
4. We are currently considering our own options for the site and hope to submit a planning application shortly. As you will be aware, the site is allocated in the 2002 Caithness Local Plan for a variety of uses including housing, business, community uses, and non-food retail.
The issue of traffic is one that has been raised a number of times on this website in relation to the auction mart site's redevelopment. What I can say in response to the concerns raised is this:-
a) any proposals for the site's redevelopment will have to accompanied by a full Transportation Assessment (TA), which looks at the traffic likely to be generated and how this could be accommodated on the surrounding road network. If there are are issues thrown up by the TA, such as concerns about a particular junction or pedestrian crossing, then our study will look at potential solutions.
b) one of things I am very keen on is reinstating the pavement on the east side of Ormlie Road. As most people will know, there's no pavement here at the moment, which means that children from the High School will quite often be forced to walk on the road to get round cars parked on the verge. I know the Council and the Community Council have been keen to see a pavement here for many years.
c) if the auction mart redevelopment is to include retail, one of the key things to remember is that the peak periods for retail traffic (normally Thurs evening, Fri evening and the weekends) don't tend to coincide with the peak periods for schools and colleges. Of course, this is one of the issues that will be covered in detail in the traffic study.
d) it's important to remember that access by car is only one of the issues to be covered in the TA. Access by walking, cycling or by public transport are also important and I believe that the central location of the auction mart in the town makes the site accessible to the majority of people in the town.
I hope this information is useful but if anyone has any further questions, I'll do my best to answer them.
Regards,
Colin Graham
.Orger
I personally think the best use out of this area would be to make a shopping development out of it as in like a Shopping Centre.. This would make more big businesses come up this far with the rail linkup to provide deliveries.
Parking would be available underneath the retail site which has been used in other places around the country.
Traffic would not be so much a problem with the right ideas put forward.
Could this be the next thing happening in Caithness then Colin.
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New Member
Moonboots
Non-food retail is certainly one of our options and would tie in with what the Local Plan suggests.
Underground parking is, unfortunately, a complete non-starter as the rents retailers are willing to pay in Thurso wouldn't pay for the cost of building underground spaces.
Regards, Colin
1K.Orger
Hi Colin, one of the symptoms I have developed from life is cynicism. Nothing is ever as it seems, and even less so when big business is concerned.Originally Posted by Colin Graham
Why then do you have a need to post this message onto caithness.org, when i know, and I know you know, that there are other factors involved in your discussions, which for obvious reasons need to remain confidential?
Im not taken in by all the hype about Asda, or for that matter any multi national being good for the community.
Big business does whats good for big business.
What exactly are you trying to achieve from this little gimmick?
New Member
Gleeber
I can't blame you for being a cynic...
Let's be clear. Miller Developments' business is making a profit from property developments. We've bought Thurso Auction Mart to make a profit. Nothing particularly underhand about that; it's why we're in business, it's what we're good at, and it's not a state secret.
However, development doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing per se. Cynic or not, we do produce developments that we're proud of. I'd point you towards our Edinburgh Quay development, which has just won Scottish Development of the Year and is a great example of brownfield regeneration.
Treat this thread as a gimmick if you like but what it does do is let you, and anyone else with an interest, converse directly with the developer, not hear about things third hand via press releases and rumours. Again, I'm quite proud that we're using new ways of reaching those affected by our developments. I'm aware that it does potentially open us up to greater criticism but if it encourages a healthy debate, it has to be a good thing.
Regards, CG
1K.Orger
Colin, I agree, developments a good thing. Thats not why I am cynical because I am aware of some of your groups work.
What I am interested in is the information you are not likely to tell us and I know theres a fair bit of that so my question remains the same.
What exactly do you hope to achieve from this little gimmick?
You are using this new medium to tell us half stories, not because you are interested in us as a community, but because you are interested in your own and your companies needs.
Thats the nature of cynicism.
Banned
Just remember CG, we're not all of the same ilk as gleeber
1K.Orger
Hey, I want asda I want a new Dounreay I want Caithness to be the capital of the world but I also want to know whats behind Colins unusual approach. Is he some super duper whizz kid lawyer sitting in an office on the second floor of some 10 story building in Auld Reekie carrying out a company order to butter up the people of caithness.org, or is he acting alone?Just remember CG, we're not all of the same ilk as gleeber
Come on chaps, this is the stuff of Caithness.org
1K.Orger
Hmm:
The article in the Groat says:Miller Developments (MD) yesterday confirmed that an outline planning application is to be lodged for a superstore on land currently used by the auction mart, off Ormlie Road.The front page of the Org says:
The Edinburgh-based firm has just bought the site from Elphinstone, which in January 2005 bought over mart operators the UA Group.
The sale includes a clause, previously agreed between Elphinstone and Asda, that gives the latter an option to buy the majority of the land.
MD’s development manager Colin Graham said the plans comprise a 31,000-square-feet store, six-pump petrol station and 250-space car park.
It mirrors the scheme earmarked for a field opposite the New Weigh Inn, which was intended to kick-start a multi-million-pound commercial redevelopment involving the landowners and Tullochs, the Inverness property developers.
The Highland Council’s Caithness area planning committee controversially refused planning consent in June on the chairman’s casting vote.
The issue has been referred to the council’s full planning committee later this month.
This however could well prove academic as Asda sets its sights on moving into the mart after it closes towards the end of the year.
Mr Graham said: “We and Asda are very keen on the mart site. There’s obviously a huge number of people in Thurso in favour of Asda coming to Thurso but equally there seems to be quite a strong body of opinion against the use of a greenfield site in a visually sensitive area on the edge of town.”Store Wars - Asda Strikes Back
Following the story in the John O'Groat Journal on Friday 4 August Asda have issued a statement refuting suggestions from the developer Miller Developments that they are planning to advance proposals for their new store at the former Thurso Auction Mart site. Asda said "Statements by Miller Developments about ASDA's intentions have been made without the prior knowledge or consent of ASDA store Limited and do not represent ASDA's position" "We have no intention of advancing our store proposals for Caithness on the former Thurso Auction Mart site. Subject to support from the Council, ASDA's flagship entrance to the Highlands will be at Pennyland Farm, Thurso or outwith Caithness" ASDA have instructed their lawyers to take the matter up on their behalf expressing disappointment that a commercial interest would make allegations about their intentions without their consent.
The casual reader would surely claim that the third statement in red contradicts the first two, and this is not addressed in the first post in this thread. Would you care to comment Mr Graham?
.Orger
Was this site at one time considered by Tesco - with ASDA coming to this side of the county (We Hope) will Tesco have ideas to put up a smaller outlet as a spoiler to ASDA the councillors will are likely surppot it.
Millers are in it for profit so they would be happy with a price war between ASDA and Tesco's.
The more the merrier from their point of view.
Banned
I'd be impressed by Edinburgh Quay development if 95% of people from Edinburgh could afford to live there. But, fact is every set of new breeze block shoe boxes in this city are unaffordable, unimaginative, pollutive, aesthetically intrusive, and highly dependent on a far stretched, outdated,expensive, & congested service infrastructure. I live in Leith and nearby to all these new developments on that side and quite honestly the people that buy these things are getting ripped off and it is difficult to distinguish between these and the 1960's multis in Leith.
Sorry.. not trying to turn this into an affordable housing thread but, you mentioned Edinburgh Quay and I do think this is more of an issue in this country than ASDA, even considering ASDA is owned by WALMART, one of the most unethical multi-national monsters on the planet.
But, hey I dunno is that the plan? Make the housing stock unaffordable or scraping-by affordable so everyone is forced to buy cheap imported from China rubbish from the lassie at the checkout in ASDA who's just tryin' to make a livin' and afford rent on her caravan out in the sticks so, the cultivators of these "developments" can profit and be proud of it too? just a thought....
Whatever it is you have in mind on the Auction Mart site.. I would like to hope it is with the community and environment and NOT profit in mind!
.Orger
Are you kiddin of course its for profit.
Every kind of developer is out to make money some way or another so why not them.
The way I see it - The more business brought into the county the better for employment etc....
Dont get me wrong, I dont think it should be used as a housing development but a retail kind or maybe both.
Banned
aye... but which businesses? WALMART is well known for their terrible policys of how they treat their staff and how terribly they pay them. Just cause its called ASDA don't let them fool you.
My point about the housing was not about what they should put at the Auction Mart site... but, a comparison of Miller's previous developments and what is being proposed in Thurso. Housing is a huge problem.. especially in the Highlands I just wonder when and if we'll see any intelligible solutions. And again... "I would like to hope" that they are thinking of the community and their environment and NOT just about profit. But, I'm not gonna sit about and wait for pigs to fly nor am I gonna hold my breath.
Banned
well.... if he's come for scrutiny from all nooks and crannies of Caithness and beyond he's come to the right place.
New Member
Gleeber:-
2nd floor - yes, spot on
10 storeys - no (3 actually)
Lawyer? No (town planner)
Super whizz kid (I'd like to think so but I think family & friends would disagree
DrSzin:-
Let's be clear. I can't speak for ASDA. All I can tell you is that the facts associated with this particular project:-
Jan 2006 - ASDA submit planning application at Pennyland Farm
May 2006 - ASDA take option over 5.5 acres at Auction Mart and prepare layout for foodstore proposal
Jun 2006 - ASDA's Pennyland Farm site is refused
Jul 2006 - UA announce Auction Mart site is to close.
Jul 2006 - UA sell Auction Mart to Miller. ASDA's option remains in place.
Auh 2006 - ASDA denies that it has any intention of advancing store proposals at the AUction Mart site and that it's "Pennyland Farm or outwith Caithness."
The question you have to ask ASDA is: "why take an option over the auction mart site, prepare a scheme, then announce that you have no intention of developing the site?"
Banned
I'd trust the moneymen as much as I'd trust a politician.
In the words of paul daniels, "not a lot".
1K.Orger
No. I suspect most of our readers would be more interested in asking why you said what you did to the press "without the prior knowledge or consent of ASDA store Limited" - assuming that's what you did indeed say.
As for ASDA, I can't second-guess their plans, but perhaps they were keeping open a second choice of site, or perhaps even a last resort. That sounds like sound business planning to me.
Good luck with your politicking - I suspect you'll need it!
New Member
Don't believe everything you read in the press (hence my posts here)
What it comes down to is this:-
1. The planning officers have come to the view that there is capacity for another foodstore in Thurso.
2. The auction mart has announced it's closing.
3. ASDA controls both the Pennyland Farm and the Auction Mart site.
It's now up to the Council to decide what uses are appropriate for both sites.
1K.Orger
Oh God, I should have known that you'd try to pull that stunt yet again - namely to try to convince us that a simple set of assertions that show you and your company up in a good light are "the facts" or "what it comes down to". Luckily, this is not really any of my business, and you ain't my problem. I'd eat you alive if you were - promise.Don't believe everything you read in the press (hence my posts here)
What it comes down to is this:-
1. The planning officers have come to the view that there is capacity for another foodstore in Thurso.
2. The auction mart has announced it's closing.
3. ASDA controls both the Pennyland Farm and the Auction Mart site.
It's now up to the Council to decide what uses are appropriate for both sites.
I'll leave you to the mercy of the poor people whose problem you are. Sorry guys, but I have better things to do...
.Orger
Asda would have to be mad to consider the mart site when they already have a perfectly good site at Pennyland which they can develop for much less cost.
I beleive this "mart site option" is something that can be used by the local councillors as an excuse to turn down Asda's planning application on the 16th.
Also, if Asda get planning permission for their Pennyland site the mart site will be worth much less money to the people who now own it.
Let's face it they must be getting pretty worried when they have resorted to getting one of their minions trying to drum up support on Caithness.org
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