BUILDING communities

Mark Quinn of property developer Quinn Estates on community, communication and positive changes to the Kentish landscape

- Sarah Sturt

Mark Quinn in the glorious office he designed

The face of Kent is rapidly changing around us and a key player in effecting that change is the highly proactive mixed-use property developer Quinn Estates.

It’s the creation of entrepreneur Mark Quinn, who took on his first development project at just 23, turning an empty old water pumping station in Charing into a thriving health club.

“I got involved with the building side, and just loved it; the dirt, the work, the honesty of it all. I bought books on engineering, design, quantity surveying and basically taught mysef,” he says.

“When I was starting out you could borrow money quite easily; those days are gone. I borrowed my first million quid when I was under 30. You need a couple of wins, and I had those. I was lucky. I was in the right place at the right time. You can’t be successful in anything unless you take risks.”

I’m speaking to the CEO of the company that bears his name at HQ in rural Bridge, a huge, lightfilled contemporary office at the top of a converted barn. Designed by the boss, it’s an architectural showstopper in its own right.

Mark, 46, a lifelong sportsman, isn’t bounding up the wooden stairs to his loft space with quite his usual alacrity – he broke his leg pretty badly while skiing in the New Year. “I was confusing ambition with reality I think!” says the former professional skier.

Mark’s office is in the loft space above his workforce