Revitalised youth hubs in East Sussex open to the public
Morgan Sindall Construction’s Southern Home Counties Business has successfully handed over two community youth facilities to East Sussex County Council (ESCC). Works included the restoration of the JOFF (the Joy of Finding Friends) Youth Hub in Peacehaven and Heathfield Youth Hub in Heathfield.
To mark the success of both projects, the Morgan Sindall project team, members of ESCC, and local residents recently attended the relaunch day at the JOFF Youth Hub on the 9th of September and gathered to Heathfield Youth Hub for a grand celebration.
To commemorate this accolade for the whole community, MP Nusrat Ghani for Sussex Weald cut the ribbon at the Heathfield Youth Hub event, before attendees listened to a speech from Councillor Bob Bowdler, lead member for children and families at East Sussex County Council. Attendees, including Annie Brown, High Sheriff of East Sussex, also enjoyed activities in the afternoon such as badge making, gardening, and signing scrap books, relishing the new youth hub.
As part of the scope of works, the original Heathfield Youth Hub, a building dating back to the 1950s was demolished prior to Morgan Sindall’s arrival on site. In its place, the tier one contractor has delivered a new, fully accessible, 825m² two-storey facility, designed for versatility with dedicated spaces for arts, music, and games, along with additional areas to support early years groups.
Designed with input from local children throughout the design process, the centre will primarily serve young people aged 11 to 18, while also providing essential services for those aged 9 to 25 with additional needs, ensuring the facility is tailored to meet a wide range of requirements.
Sustainability and futureproofing have been key priorities for the project, with a Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) frame chosen for its excellent thermal performance and energy efficiency.
Given the Heathfield Youth Hub’s proximity to a busy local Co-Op, Morgan Sindall implemented a carefully coordinated delivery strategy alongside proactive community engagement to minimise disruption.
The project at the JOFF Youth Hub in Peacehaven involved an extension and refurbishment of the existing two-storey building. The upgrade was necessary as the original 1960s structure no longer met the needs of the local community.
To transform the centre, giving young people and staff as much usable space as possible, works included internal reconfiguration with new floors and doors installed, creating an open plan structure and dedicated spaces such as the kitchen, music and art rooms, and fitness suite. The addition of a new external lift will also bring the site’s accessibility features up to date.
Upgrades and enhancements to both projects are part of a £7 million scheme to support young people in the area by creating modern, multifunctional spaces that will revitalise local youth services and provide a variety of activity options and social benefits. ESCC received funding from the government’s Youth Investment Fund to deliver the new youth facilities. The Youth Investment Fund is funded by the UK Government and is delivered by Social Investment Business in partnership with Resonance, Key Fund, and National Youth Agency.
Guy Hannell, Area Director for Morgan Sindall in the Southern Home Counties, said:
It’s an absolute pleasure to celebrate the opening of these exceptional youth facilities with East Sussex County Council. We immensely enjoyed working with the council and engaging with the community throughout works, and it’s been a source of real pride to bring new life to the JOFF and Heathfield Youth Hubs.
A great deal of appreciation goes to East Sussex County Council for their genuine commitment to rejuvenating spaces for young people in the community. This ethos perfectly aligns with our own community focus here at Morgan Sindall and it’s fantastic to see local young people enjoy the new facilities.”