BRITISH Car Auctions' Brighouse centre is to undergo a multi-million pound redevelopment in time for its 25th anniversary next year. Work on the site, which is one of the company's longest-established auction centres and was one of the first purpose-built auction centres in the UK, began this week and should be completed by early 1998.

Central to the development will be a large extension to the undercover viewing area, which will more than double its size and allow more than 1,000 vehicles to be displayed under cover. A new flow-through valeting building will also be constructed and fed from a pressure wash bay. The customer concourse will be expanded to provide improved payment facilities using the latest technology, while the provisional sales office will be fully computer linked for a speedy service.

New offices will be built, along with a 100-seat customer cafeteria, while the Auctioneer Restaurant will be refurbished to offer conference facilities and other services. The customer car park will also be extended. Project architect for the development, Jack Sugden of the Millhouse Practice, was also architect on the original building programme. At the time it revolutionised the design concept for auction centres.