This is Kent’s extravaganza!
Benchmark 1-5 by Richard Deacon and the evocative Climate Emergency Services van are our top picks right now!
There are so many ways to explore The Plot, visit the website and book your spaces now
www.creativefolkestone.org.uk/whats-on/
Herne Bay Sports Hub will open its doors next weekend for the much-anticipated official opening of Quinn’s Bar & Lounge.
The event will take place from 12pm until 6pm on Sunday 25 July and will be the opportunity for visitors to experience the new facilities at the sports hub first hand and enjoy a drink in the bar.
Herne Bay Sports Hub is a £10m, state-of-the-art sporting facility, which aims to make sport more accessible within the local community. It includes two full size hockey pitches, a 4G football pitch and two grass mini pitches, six tennis courts and a cricket ground. Quinn Estates, the property developer behind the project, has placed this significant community asset in the hands of a charitable trust run by the four local amateur sports clubs involved in the project for just £1.
Clive Cripps, President of Herne Bay Hockey Club, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome visitors to the Herne Bay Sports Hub pavilion for the opening of Quinn’s Bar and Lounge. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we haven’t been able to have the opening we would have wanted for our fantastic new facilities, so it’s great to finally be able to invite people along to experience the new sports hub in person.
“Sport plays a vital role in our local community and all monies raised at the bar will be put back into local sport for current and future generations. A huge thank you to the Quinn Estates team for making this possible.”
Quinn’s Bar & Lounge offers a full range of drinks in a comfortable environment. The roof terraces overlook the football and hockey pitches, making it the perfect place to support local sport. The licensed function room is available for hire for parties, receptions and meetings, which is set to be popular among local residents.
Herne Bay Sports Hub is home to four of the seaside town’s amateur sports teams – Herne Bay Lawn Tennis Club, Herne Bay Youth FC, Herne Bay Cricket Club and Herne Bay Hockey Club.
Annual social membership is now available for a special introductory price of £30, which will give you an exclusive 15% discount on drinks.
Herne Bay Sports Hub is a registered charity, and the sports clubs are non-profit bodies. All monies generated from the facilities will be used towards the provision of sports to the local community.
We will be looking at the history of the site and sharing historic images and the conversion of The Engine Sheds.
Residents and stakeholders are invited to join a virtual public consultation event on the proposed Highsted Park development this month.
The project team behind the Sittingbourne development, Quinn Estates, will be hosting two online information sessions on Tuesday 9th March to gather public feedback and ideas.
Attendees will be able to watch presentations delivered by the project team and get their questions about the development answered by live panellists. The event will give the public the opportunity to share their thoughts on the plans, which will be considered ahead of the submission of final proposals.
There will be an online afternoon session (1pm-2.30pm) and an evening session (5.30pm-7pm), all open to the public, who can register to attend here.
The engagements will be recorded and published on the Highsted Park website, so those who are unable to attend will be able to watch at a later date.
Highsted Park is a visionary proposal for a mixed-use development that incorporates game-changing infrastructure and air quality improvements for the residents and businesses of Sittingbourne, Swale and the South East. The project seeks to positively transform Swale for current and future generations.
The project includes:
To find out more about the engagement webinars and to register for one of the sessions, click here.
Leading property developer Quinn Estates has agreed a sponsorship deal with rising ski stars, Laurie Taylor and Billy Major for the upcoming World championships in Cortina, Italy.
Laurie and Billy will join the other sports stars that the company proudly sponsors including Britain’s top alpine ski racers, Dave Ryding and Alex Tilley. The sponsorship is part of a wider commitment by the company to support emerging sporting talent.
Having competed in his first Olympic Games at Pyeongchang in 2018, Laurie Taylor has gone on to grow his career as a professional Alpine Ski Racer. He is now a member of the GB World Cup Squad for the 2020/2021 season.
Likewise, Billy Major has had a passion for skiing from a very young age and now competes as part of the Europa Cup Squad. He is driven as much by the training as he is the competing and the results.
The ethos of the sporting world, and skiing in particular, aligns with the same values of Quinn Estates – commitment, drive and determination. The sponsorship will give Laurie and Billy the opportunity to invest more in their training, allowing them to compete against some of the best names in the sport.
Mark Quinn, CEO and Chairman of Quinn Estates, commented: “Quinn Estates are pleased to announce that we’ve signed a sponsorship deal with Laurie Taylor and Billy Major. Both Laurie and Billy are showing great promise and we look forward to tracking their progress over the rest of the season. They are in great company alongside our existing sponsored skiers Dave Ryding and Alex Tilley and we wish them all the best for the rest of the season.”
Laurie Taylor said: “I’m really excited to sign with Quinn Estates and join the likes of Dave Ryding on this team. The support makes a huge difference to my training so I’m really grateful. I’m looking forward to the partnership and to representing Quinn Estates in my upcoming races as part of the World Cup squad.”
Billy Major added: “I’m thrilled to have recently signed a deal with Quinn Estates for the rest of the season. I have seen the role company has played in other athlete’s seasons, and the positive impact it has had, so now to be receiving the same support is great. We’re approaching the preparation for World Championships where I hope to get some great results, so it couldn’t have come at a better time!”
On Monday, 21 December, Kent MS Therapy Centre raised £2,000 in vital funds at a virtual Christmas auction. Kent-based property developer, Quinn Estates, is among the supporters that donated items to the auction.
The virtual auction gave people the opportunity to bid on various items, including the case of 12 bottles of fine wine which Quinn Estates donated. The money raised will help Kent MS Therapy Centre support people with Multiple Sclerosis in Kent and Medway.
Moira Mitchell, Head of Fundraising at Kent MS Therapy Centre, commented: “The last few months have been very challenging for the Kent MS Therapy Centre due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our income has fallen dramatically because limited services have been running at reduced capacity and we have had to cancel many of our bespoke community events. However, it’s not all doom and gloom as we have been overwhelmed by those that have supported us during these difficult times.
“This includes Quinn Estates who donated a case of fine wines for our Christmas auction and are responsible for a generous cash donation, which brought our final figure up to £2,000. The company is also sponsoring an element of our rescheduled charity Golf Day. We are delighted that Quinn Estates continues to back our small charity, which delivers services to people living with MS from across Kent and Medway. We wouldn’t be able to continue doing what we do without the generous donations given to us by Quinn Estates and for that we are incredibly grateful.”
Mark Quinn, CEO and Chairman of Quinn Estates, said: “We were honoured to once again donate to Kent MS Therapy Centre’s Christmas auction. The charity provides vital support to those living with Multiple Sclerosis and has continued to do sterling work despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. We’re delighted to see that the virtual auction was a success and raised much-needed funds for this worthy cause.”
To find out more about the fantastic work Kent MS Therapy Centre does, or to find out how you can show your support, click here.
Ben Geering, Head of Planning at Quinn Estates, was recently interviewed by Jez Davison, Editor of Thinking Business for the magazine’s Big Interview feature.
In the interview, Ben shared Quinn Estates’ holistic approach to development by showcasing some of the company’s most exciting projects. He detailed the game- changing infrastructure that Highsted Park would provide for the people of Swale and outlined how as well as the delivery of a mixed-use development at Detling, Binbury Park would provide nationally significant highways safety betterment.
Having joined the Quinn Estates team in 2018, Ben shared how studying Geography at university and completing a Masters in Planning set him along his career path, along with an ambition to solve real world problems. His work at Quinn Estates ties directly into this, with sustainability high on the agenda and championing the flexibility to develop with the future needs of local people in mind.
Thinking Business is the official magazine for the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, covering business news, features and interviews from across the county. The December 2020 – January 2021 issue is out now.
Read the latest issue of Thinking Business here and you’ll find the interview with Ben on p.18-19.
On Friday, 27 November, Quinn Homes was awarded bronze in the Best Small Housebuilder category at the WhatHouse? Awards 2020.
Held as a virtual ceremony and hosted by comedian Romesh Ranganathan, the event celebrated the best the British housebuilding industry has to offer.
Having been spun out of one of Kent’s most proactive and innovative mixed-use developers, Quinn Homes is an emerging housebuilder brand, so getting this recognition in such a strong category is a huge achievement.
The judges report commended Quinn Homes, stating: “Quinn Homes is the new housebuilding child of mixed-use developer Quinn Estates. Its homes are bold of ambition, design and concept; refreshing in how they look and how they are conceived and an eclectic mix of properties to suit a variety of purchasers across Kent.
“Quinn Homes, based in Canterbury, loves a contemporary twist and introducing pioneering new technology. The housebuilder likes nothing more than adding a dash of modernity to a period drama, without losing the history or authenticity, as comfortable with delicate restoration as brand new brushstrokes. “Legacy is important too, reviving towns and creating employment, with CEO and chairman Mark Quinn leading from the front with drive and passion and not afraid of risk.
“The company, with a strong team ethic throughout, is involved in a raft of charity initiatives and, like many builders, has been hugely supportive of the communities it develops in during the pandemic.”
On Wednesday, 25 November, Built Environment Networking hosted their latest webinar – Future Development Plans – Kent – which explored future development, regeneration and investment within the strategic county.
Quinn Estates’ CEO and Chairman, Mark Quinn joined the speaker panel to provide an update on the most exciting developments the company is working on, including Highsted Park, Binbury Park, Merton Park and Stonehouse Park. He also shared more on Quinn Estates’ community infrastructure projects including the state-of-the-art Herne Bay Sports Hub and the upcoming £9 million facility for Pilgrims Hospices.
Throughout his keynote, Mark shared his wider industry thoughts and insights, including the importance of delivering what you say you will, that trust and collaboration is key to regeneration and building in a recession will help drive the economy forward.
Mark was joined by Julia Gregory, Director of Projects at Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, who took delegates through what they’ve achieved so far at Ebbsfleet Garden City and also championed the importance of infrastructure delivery.
Host Phil Laycock led a Q&A session where the audience could pose their questions to Mark and Julia, which covered a variety of topics. In his answers Mark championed having the lowest impact on the environment and promoting biodiversity, green space being key to future-proofing placemaking and the need for office space to inspire and train young people.
Quinn Estates will be speaking at upcoming webinars and events, so stay up-to-date with Built Environment Networking’s exciting programme here.
Against tough industry competition, CEO and Chairman of Quinn Estates, Mark Quinn was awarded the Irvine Sellar Award at last night’s Property Awards 2020.
Hosted virtually by impressionist Jon Culshaw, the Property Week event celebrated the best the UK commercial property industry has to offer. In addition to the award win, Quinn Estates were also shortlisted across the Developer of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year and Social Impact Award categories.
In honour of the late, great property developer, the Irvine Sellar Award celebrates an individual or company that has made an impact with a truly ground-breaking scheme. The judges were looking for innovation, transformation, entrepreneurial spirit, risk taking and persistence.
Paul Tremble, UK Chief Strategy Officer at WSP, praised Quinn Estates’ strong track record and Mark’s role in driving the team to deliver for the whole community when he presented the award. It was Mark and the team’s commitment to the delivery of the multi-million pound facilities at Herne Bay Sports Hub that really stood out in the award entry.
In his acceptance speech Mark Quinn, thanked the local authorities Quinn Estates have worked with over the years, as well as his family, friends and personal mentors within the industry.
He said: “I would like to thank the judging panel and Property Week for choosing myself and Quinn Estates to win this award. I believe we won this award not because of how commercially successful this scheme has been, but because of what we have given back and what we have done for the communities within which we build.
He also recognises the role Irvine Sellar played in the property industry and explains why Quinn Estates strives to do the same: “Irvine risked everything to create something of beauty for the people of London and beyond. Good development is about trying to do more for the area in which you develop than you take from it. This is what we have strived to do in our developments throughout Kent and it is what Mr Sellar definitely achieved in his developments in Britain.”
Geoff Miles, Chair of the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership, commended the award win: “I’m not surprised to see Mark Quinn receive The Irvine Sellar Award; his approach to property development has always been fresh and innovative. The words ‘game-changing’ can often be overused in the property sector but it’s a sentiment that can be closely aligned to Mark.
“At the heart of this is his persistence in delivering community assets that exceed the requirements; he thinks people first. This award is for people who are formidable; for people who make the impossible, possible. It could not have been awarded to a more apt person than Mark Quinn.”
Isobel Warnock, Chairman of Herne Bay Lawn Tennis Club, one of the sports clubs using the facilities in Herne Bay, commented: “Congratulations to Mark and to Quinn Estates. They certainly deserve recognition for developing and providing us with such state-of-the-art facilities at Herne Bay Sports Hub.
“These fabulous, modern facilities give our club a bright and exciting future to expand our junior and younger adult sections and continue to invest in our established membership. A huge thank you to Mark Quinn for his vision and dedication to see the project completed.”
Quinn Estates have a number of community-centred developments being developed across Kent and the South East, many of whom include the provision of sports facilities and green space for local people and sports clubs to use. One of these projects is Stonehouse Park, which proposes new pitches for Sevenoaks Rugby Club and Sevenoaks Hockey Club.
Trevor Nicholson, Chairman of Sevenoaks Rugby Club, added: "We at Sevenoaks Rugby are delighted that Quinn Estates and Mark personally have been recognised with this award.
“Although our project is not as far advanced as Herne Bay, over the years that we have known Quinn Estates, we have been impressed with their straightforward approach and genuine desire to fund community sports facilities. Their enabling development model solves the two burning issues of Kent’s desperate housing shortage and poor outdoor recreational facilities at the same time.”
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