Pugh appointed by National Highways to auction 55 land asset lots
Property auction house Pugh, which is headquartered in Manchester and part of Eddisons, has been appointed to sell a portfolio of 55 parcels of land for the Government roads agency National Highways (NH) at its online property auction later this month. The lots range from small roadside plots to larger potential development sites. The portfolio is the third that NH has appointed Pugh to sell in the last 18 months.
The latest UK-wide NH portfolio includes a mix of sites in the North West and across the country, such as a half-acre semi-rural site close to housing and the A65 in Rossendale with a £7,500 guide price. Also going under the hammer, a landlocked acre of land in Horwich, Bolton, adjacent to a recent residential development and the M61 is generating interest with a £5,000 guide price.
Pugh, which advises numerous public-sector organisations, including many local authorities across the UK, on asset disposals, has sold 77 assets for NH since 2024, often achieving prices that significantly exceed their guide level. In one December 2024 sale, a six-acre plot next to the A405 in St Albans sold for over £500,000 against a £120,000 guide price.
Pugh director Will Thompson said: “Instructions such as the National Highways portfolio involve a rigorous and detailed approach, with a thorough understanding of relevant regulations, experience in valuing these asset types, and the national reach and connections needed to market them effectively.
“As a team we’ve had years of experience representing organisations such as National Highways, United Utilities, Network Rail, the Canal & River Trust, and councils across the country.”
He added: “We guide clients through every stage of the process, from assessing the most appropriate method of sale, whether that’s via an auction or an alternative route, to valuation, and a tailored national marketing strategy, always with the aim of securing the best possible return.
“Pugh’s track record shows that auction can often unlock hidden value that may not be obvious at the outset. Some lots achieve several times their guide price, while others, often considered liabilities, are transferred swiftly and securely, delivering best value even where proceeds are modest. That’s the benefit of combining experience and expertise with an adaptive yet structured approach.”
The latest portfolio of NH assets, located in the North West and across the UK, will appear in Pugh’s next online auction, on 24 September. Further details are available at www.pugh-auctions.com