Second new saleroom in South East

SWORDERS, the Essex auctioneers, are pressing ahead with plans for a new auction centre on a brownfield site near their current location in Stansted Mountfitchet and planning permission has been granted for Dreweatt Neate’s new southeast saleroom outside Guildford.

Sworders are in the process of submitting a detailed planning application for the new centre, which will have an environmentally friendly design and make use of renewable fuels, straw-bale walls and collected rainwater.

The building will have three auction rooms as well as a spacious reception area that will be used to stage art exhibitions. Outside there will be loading and unloading bays and 200 parking spaces. The centre is expected to open in spring 2007.

Sworders managing partner Guy Schooling said: “This will be one of only a handful of purpose-built, modern auction rooms in the country and will, we believe, firmly establish Sworders as one of the top five auction rooms outside London.”

The new Dreweatt Neate saleroom, which will handle all of their general and specialist sales in the southeast of England, will also offer valuation services, an upmarket café, parking, and loading and unloading facilities in a out-of-town location convenient for the A3.

Marketing director Bruce Cairnduff said delays in the consent process meant the saleroom had missed its planned April completion date, but was on track to open later this year.