Town dock sold under the hammer

ABP has owned the Grimsby dock since the early 1900s

A dock in North East Lincolnshire has sold for more than £400,000 at auction.

Alexandra Dock in Grimsby was touted as a site that "offers a unique waterfront development opportunity".

Auctioneers Colliers CRE said there was a "great deal of interest" in the six-acre site which sold for £50,000 more than the lower guide price.

Associated British Ports, which owned the dock since the 1900s, said it was sold as surplus property.

'Development encouraged'

The site, which includes two acres of land and four acres of water, was sold for £405,000 at the Sheffield auction on Thursday. Its new owner has yet to be revealed.

Situated opposite the Alexandra Retail Development, which is home to Matalan, Wickes and Comet, it is hoped the dock will now be developed to "complement the existing developments".

The sales brochure said: "A range of commercial uses are acceptable on the site, including bulky goods retail, office, food and drink, industry, storage and distribution and assembly and leisure.

"In addition, part of the site within the dock itself falls within the Victoria Mills Conservation Area.

"The council is keen to encourage development proposals which add to the regeneration and vitality of waterfront sites and would support a mixed use scheme, including residential development, on the site."

Grimsby's fish docks is one of the largest fishing and fish processing centres in Europe and specialises in the import of Danish and Norwegian products.