Eastbourne Sovereign Centre

Overview

The Sovereign Centre in Eastbourne was developed as a partnership between Eastbourne Borough Council and Clifford Barnet Developments. The scheme combined new seafront residential apartments with leisure facilities for the Council, with a total development value of £8 million. We were engaged to resolve contractor difficulties and safeguard timely delivery of this high-profile community project.

The Challenge

The initial local contractor appointed to deliver sub-structure works encountered significant organisational difficulties, causing delay to the leisure centre and apartment block. Despite efforts to provide support, the contractor could not recover, and the project risked further slippage and cost escalation unless decisive action was taken.

Our Approach

We restored programme certainty by:

• Consulting with the developer and professional team to assess options.

• Negotiating termination of the initial contract and appointment of a replacement contractor.

• Awarding the consolidated sub-structure and super-structure works to the new contractor.

• Establishing a revised, shorter programme to recover delays and align with the cost plan.

The Outcome

The project was successfully completed on schedule and within budget. By securing a new contractor and programme, we resolved earlier delays and ensured delivery of both the leisure centre and residential apartments, meeting the objectives of the Council and development partner.