By Liz Fowler

THE FACTOR of Dalhousie Estates at Brechin yesterday insisted they were an integral part of the local economy and were doing their best to help the burgh’s regeneration.

It did nobody any good for a “them” and “us” situation to develop, Richard Cooke suggested.

“I would like to think people will look back and see 2006/07 as the time when Brechin started to turn the corner. The council has made a good start with the townscape heritage initiative and development of the business park and everything else that is going on, and we are doing our best to help the revival,” he said.

The estates, which own the Brechin Castle centre and sold land adjacent to it to Angus Council for the creation of Brechin business park, have become the subject of a twin-pronged attack following revelations of a dispute over resiting a car showroom and of plans for the castle centre to host Angus Farmers’ Market.

Mackie Motors (Brechin) Ltd want to quit their cramped town centre site and move to the business park but a restriction, barring use of the site as a car showroom, was imposed in the land deal.

Though agreement was reached between the council and Mackies for the sale of three high amenity plots on the business park for £175,000, Dalhouse Estates had indicated a waiver to permit the title conditions to be varied to permit the proposed use would cost £100,000, or, alternatively, the transfer to them free of charge of one high amenity plot remaining.

The authority has taken its case to the Lands Tribunal for Scotland arguing the conditions are unreasonable, a position supported by a number of angry locals.

“I am horrified Dalhousie Estates are trying to extract £100,000 from the taxpayers because they do not think Angus Council have charged enough for the ground that Mackie Motors have agreed to purchase to relocate their business,” said one man, who did not wish to be named.

“Mackie Motors has been a major employer in Brechin for over 30 years but, in an effort to improve and expand their business, they are to be penalised due to the excessive greed of Dalhousie Estates,” he claimed.

“They have benefited from more grants than most to set up their garden centre and Pictavia on the outskirts of Brechin.

“Many believe that the privileged support given to this project has helped to rip the heart out of the High Street retail centre, where yet another business is closing at the end of this month.”

According to Mr Cooke the compensatory figure would be “a long way from £100,000.”

He said, “We are in negotiation with Angus Council about the terms of use for the land the council wants to sell, and I am confident we can reach agreement fairly quickly.”

Meanwhile a host of Brechin retailers have raised concerns over the castle centre hosting the farmers’ market, preferring that it should be located in the burgh with spin-offs for their businesses.

“Having it at the castle garden centre can only benefit Dalhousie Estates to the detriment of local businesses,” said one.

“In Forfar and Montrose the market is held in the town centre. Why can’t that happen in Brechin?”

Mr Cooke said, “We were approached by the farmers’ market and were happy for them to come to the castle centre. I don’t think it will do Brechin any harm. I think the stalls have been in Brechin before but there were possibly problems with parking.”

Farmers’ market secretary Ruth Fairlie said it was to be run at the castle centre on a three-month trial basis on the last Saturday of April, May and June.

She said, “We thought it might be good for our customers for us to move into the Brechin area. But the last thing we want to do is upset any of the shopkeepers in Brechin.”

However she threw some confusion over the selection of venue by adding, “The invitation was issued by the castle centre for us to go there.”