Quintain appoints new head of construction for Irish operations

Sisk veteran Norman Higgins joins as firm ramps up plan to deliver 9,000 new homes

Quintain joint managing partners  Eddie Byrne and Michael Hynes, and head of construction Norman Higgins (right).
Quintain joint managing partners Eddie Byrne and Michael Hynes, and head of construction Norman Higgins (right).

UK-headquartered developer Quintain has announced the appointment of Norman Higgins as its new head of construction for its Irish operations.

Mr Higgins joins the company from his previous role running Sisk Living, the housing division of Irish building contractor, John Sisk & Son. A fellow of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors , he oversaw the publication of the SCSI’s “Real Cost of New Housing Delivery” report in 2016 as chair of the body’s residential working group. Mr Higgins is also a national member of the executive board of the Irish Housebuilders Association.

Commenting on the appointment, Michael Hynes, joint managing partner of Quintain Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Norman at a time when we are busy preparing planning applications for several of our schemes, and returning to development following the end of the Government’s construction lockdown. Quintain’s commitment is to create attractive and sustainable communities with the right mix of housing alongside high-quality amenities, and Norman’s extensive experience will be hugely valuable.”

Quintain commenced its operations in Ireland last November with plans to develop 9,000 new homes and 600,000sq ft (55,740sq m) of commercial space in Dublin and the greater Dublin area. The company’s existing portfolio covers 460 acres of prime lands at Adamstown, Clonburris, Portmarnock and Cherrywood, and when developed will make Quintain the third-largest residential developer in the country.

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In the UK, Quintain is best-known for its ongoing transformation of the 34.3-hectare (85-acre) Wembley Park site in north London into a major mixed-use scheme, which upon completion will include 7,000 new homes, 69,677sq m (750,000sq ft) of offices and a 2.8-hectare (7-acre) park.

Ronald Quinlan

Ronald Quinlan

Ronald Quinlan is Property Editor of The Irish Times