Press release
Cairn Homes and Lone Star successfully bid for the residential land loan portfolio - Project Clear
Dublin/London, 7 December 2015: Cairn Homes Plc ("Cairn") (LSE:CRN), the Irish homebuilding company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the residential land portfolio represented by the Ulster Bank Project Clear loan portfolio.
· An acquisition price of €503 million has been accepted by Ulster Bank for the entire portfolio. The par value of the loans being acquired is c. €2 billion attached to 1,694 acres, which includes 31 residential development sites
· The portfolio will be divided, with Cairn contributing €378m for its share
· 91% of the portfolio lands are located in Dublin and the surrounding commuter belt, representing c. 20% of the available residentially zoned land in the Greater Dublin Area
· Cairn's c. 75% share of the portfolio gives the company the opportunity to build over 14,000 new homes over the coming years, with an expected net development value of in excess of €2 billion
The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Commenting on today's announcement, Cairn CEO Michael Stanley said, "We are delighted to have entered into an agreement with Ulster Bank for the Project Clear loan portfolio, one of our key strategic targets. I would like to congratulate and thank Lone Star for also recognising this truly unique opportunity. This transaction will unlock the most significant land bank available in Ireland. Cairn's share of the portfolio will provide the opportunity to build over 14,000 new homes, with an expected net development value of in excess of €2 billion."
For more information please contact:
Cairn Homes plc +353 1 603 0886
Michael Stanley
Eamonn O'Kennedy
Hume Brophy +353 1 662 4712
Maria Cryan
Edel Bach
Notes to Editors
Cairn Homes plc is an Irish homebuilder with a highly experienced management team. The Group is committed to constructing high quality new homes with an emphasis on design, innovation and customer service. The Group expects to acquire greenfield or brownfield sites in Ireland that are suitable for residential development, with an emphasis on Dublin and the Dublin commuter belt, as well as in other major urban centres, as appropriate. www.cairnhomes.com