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The London developers behind £110m plans to revitalise a town centre have added two Kent companies to the scheme.
Mixed-use builder Quinn Estates and architect Guy Hollaway have become venture partners in the Spirit of Sittingbourne consortium.
Set to transform the town centre with a new cinema, library, civic building and public quarter, the scheme is expected to generate £250m of economic wealth and create 1,000 jobs.
Masterminded by Cathedral Group and property consultants Essential Land LLP, it is now expected that Canterbury-based Quinn Estates will do the heavy lifting when the first bricks are laid next spring.
The company is involved in £350m of regeneration projects across the South East and developed Canterbury Business Park near Bridge. It has more than 1,000 homes-worth of developments being considered by planning authorities at present.
Meanwhile Hythe-based Guy Hollaway has gained notoriety for projects like Rocksalt restaurant in Folkestone and proposed developments in Bromley town centre and next to the Turner Contemporary in Margate.
The additions come weeks after Cathedral Group was acquired by FTSE 250 giants Development Securities, with has developed more than 4m sqft of regeneration projects across the UK.
Cathedral is behind £2.5bn of development around London, including schemes in Deptford, Greenwich and Clapham.
It expects to put in a planning application for Sittingbourne town centre project later this year.
Cathedral Group chief executive Richard Upton said: “With our residential development partners Essential Land, we’re pleased to announce not only the appointment of well-respected local company Quinn Estates as our local development partner in Sittingbourne but also Guy Hollaway Architects as the scheme architects.
“Quinn Estates and Guy Hollaway Architects will bring an unbeatable combination of local expertise, major regeneration experience and access to funding, which we believe will put Swale on the map.”
Swale Borough Council leader Cllr Andrew Bowles said: “Our reactivation of Sittingbourne town centre will create a magnet for future development and prosperity that could spread economic growth throughout the rest of Swale.
“We are pleased that the Spirit team has been strengthened by two well-known and exceptional local companies.”
Quinn Estates managing director Mark Quinn said: “This is a unique opportunity to drive a regeneration project that will transform Sittingbourne and provide the residents with a range of facilities including a multi-screen cinema, restaurants, new public space and housing.
“We are delighted to be working with Swale Borough Council and our other joint venture partners, especially Cathedral Group, to make this important regeneration scheme a reality.”
Guy Holllaway Architects principal partner Guy Hollaway said: “We are delighted to join the Spirit of Sittingbourne team and play our part in delivering this important regeneration scheme.
“This is a unique opportunity to rejuvenate a whole town centre, bringing forward an ambitious mixed-use regeneration scheme with new leisure and cultural opportunities for local people at its core.”