MP pushes to save Sedbergh Auction Mart site for the local community

11.58.33am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Aug 2006

Local MP Tim Farron has written to the owners of the Sedbergh Auction Mart site following concerns that they may be considering selling the site to developers. In his letter to CCM Auctions, Tim wrote:

"I can quite understand that you may be under great pressure to maximize your income from this property but I hope that you may be willing to listen to the forthcoming proposal from the Co-operative of farmers, whose sole priority is to sustain its historical use. I have been informed that your Company has a highly impressive track record of support for the core function of your Auction Marts, which makes me hopeful that you will be sympathetic to the vital function of the Mart at the heart of a widespread and sparsely populated rural community around Sedbergh. The disappearance of the Auction Mart would be calamitous for this wider contribution that its core purpose provided. If you may be reluctant to lose future prospects for profitable development then I would ask you to consider a rent agreement rather than a sale of the premises."

Tim said: "It is vital that we save the Sedbergh Auction Mart site for the local community, and give the co-operative of farmers every opportunity to get their auction mart off the ground. I hope that CCM are supportive of this position, and that as a result they will put any commercial bids on hold for the time being."