Client
East Sussex County Council
Location
East Sussex, England
Peacehaven Schools
The Peacehaven Schools PFI was the first in England to link multiple schools in a single scheme, delivering a new secondary school, three new primary school buildings and the refurbishment of Meridian School in Peacehaven, East Sussex. Invesis was sole investor under a 25-year PFI, with the project approaching handback to East Sussex County Council in July 2026.
Financial Close
27th March 2000
Construction Period
2000 - 2002
Concession Period
25 years
Handback
2026
Client
East Sussex County Council
Location
East Sussex, England
Sponsor/Investor
Invesis
Consortium
Peacehaven Schools Ltd
Engineering Procurement and Construction
BAM Construction
Operations and Maintenance
EMCOR FM
Capital Value
€22m
Pioneering the first multi-school PFI and providing modern learning facilities for Peacehaven's communities
Peacehaven lacked a local secondary school and had ageing primary facilities requiring urgent investment. East Sussex County Council commissioned the first PFI in England to link multiple schools in a single scheme, creating a cohesive solution for the community.
Invesis was appointed as sole investor under a 25-year PFI contract in 2000, with BAM Construction delivering the programme and EMCOR appointed on a 25-year FM contract. The project delivered Peacehaven Community School - an entirely new 923-pupil secondary - alongside work at four primary sites: Peacehaven Heights Academy Infant Site (420 pupils), Meridian Community Primary (420 pupils), Peacehaven Heights Academy Junior Site (240 pupils) and Telscombe Cliffs Academy (690 pupils).
The concession is now approaching its end, with handback to East Sussex County Council due in July 2026 - completing a 25-year partnership.
Enhancing sustainability and community facilities across the Peacehaven Schools estate
The Peacehaven Schools project was delivered in the early 2000s, before many of the sustainability standards and performance requirements that are common in education infrastructure projects today. Throughout the concession period, a range of lifecycle improvements have been implemented to enhance the environmental performance and efficiency of the estate.
These investments have included the ongoing replacement of lighting with LED technology, improving energy efficiency across the schools and contributing to reductions in carbon emissions. Operational waste is managed through energy recovery processes rather than landfill disposal.
The estate continues to provide high-quality facilities for pupils and the wider community, including a new Astro pitch and tennis courts at Peacehaven Community School and a new playground at Meridian School. These enhancements support the long-term quality, usability and resilience of an estate comprising one new secondary school, three new primary school buildings and the refurbishment of Meridian School.
