MERIDIAN ONE is a multi-phase Tier IV data centre and digital infrastructure campus at Northlands Enterprise Park, Hickstead, West Sussex, being developed by Mentin Ltd with Service Bridge Solutions as the operating company and submitting agent. The project is currently at the pre-application planning stage with Mid Sussex District Council, with a formal planning application targeted for autumn 2026. UK Power Networks has reserved 62.5 megavolt-amperes of grid capacity at the Bolney Grid Supply Point, with a phased connection profile aligned to the proposed planning phasing. The project involves coordination of more than ten technical consultancies, multiple public sector bodies, and ongoing engagement with the local community.
Purpose of the role
To act as the central project coordinator for MERIDIAN ONE during the planning application phase, working closely with the President & Chief Executive Officer to manage day-to-day relationships with consultants, Council officers, statutory consultees, UK Power Networks and the wider stakeholder group. The role is the operational backbone of the project — the person who keeps every workstream moving on programme, ensures information flows cleanly between parties, and ensures nothing falls between the cracks.
This is not an administrative role. It is a substantive coordination role for someone who can hold the detail of a complex infrastructure project across multiple disciplines, communicate professionally with senior planning officers and consultants, and operate with discretion in a commercially and politically sensitive environment.
Key responsibilities
Consultant coordination
•Manage day-to-day relationships with each appointed consultant: heritage, landscape, architect, planning consultant, arboricultural, acoustic, external lighting, ecology, highways, drainage and flood risk, sustainability, Construction Environmental Management Plan, and contaminated land.
•Maintain the master project programme and chase deliverables against agreed dates.
•Convene regular consultant team meetings; prepare agendas; record outcomes and actions.
•Quality-assure consultant deliverables for consistency, accuracy and alignment with the project’s overall planning narrative.
•Manage fee notes, invoices and budget tracking against the approved consultant fee envelope.
Council and statutory consultee engagement
•Maintain the live correspondence file with Mid Sussex District Council, including the case officer and the wider officer team.
•Prepare draft correspondence, briefing notes and submission documents for the President & Chief Executive Officer’s review and sign-off.
•Coordinate pre-application meetings, including agenda preparation, attendee briefing, and follow-up notes.
•Liaise with West Sussex County Council Highways and National Highways on highways pre-application engagement.
Community engagement
•Support engagement with Twineham Parish Council, including liaison with the Parish Clerk, meeting logistics, briefing materials, and follow-up correspondence.
•Coordinate the public meeting in Twineham, including venue booking, public notices, materials preparation, and attendee logistics.
•Maintain the Statement of Community Involvement log throughout the engagement period.
Grid and infrastructure
•Support the relationship with UK Power Networks, including the Commercial Project Manager and wider project team.
•Track grid connection programme milestones and payment schedule against the formal offer.
•Maintain the parallel workstream on the Goddards Green Primary Substation phased connection option, including the Phased Capacity Profile.
Document control and brand
•Maintain the master project file, with version-controlled current and superseded documents.
•Ensure all external documents are consistent with the project brand standards, comply with the project’s planning language conventions, and are reviewed for accuracy before issue.
•Maintain the project address book, attendance records and stakeholder map.
Internal coordination and reporting
•Prepare a weekly written project update for the President & Chief Executive Officer summarising progress against programme, open actions, decisions required, and risks.
•Coordinate the fortnightly project review with the President & Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman of Mentin Ltd.
•Support ad hoc strategic workstreams as directed.
Person specification
Essential
•Two to five years of relevant experience in a project coordinator, project management, planning, construction, infrastructure, property or professional services environment.
•Highly organised and methodical, with exceptional attention to detail.
•Excellent written English, with the ability to draft professional correspondence to senior external stakeholders.
•Confident managing relationships with senior consultants, public sector officers, and senior internal stakeholders.
•Comfortable working autonomously with minimal supervision; able to hold the detail across a complex multi-party programme.
•Discreet, with sound judgement on commercially and politically sensitive matters.
•Proficient with Microsoft Office, Teams and structured file management.
•Right to work in the United Kingdom.
Desirable
•Experience in planning, real estate, infrastructure delivery, energy or data centres.
•Familiarity with the United Kingdom planning system, particularly local authority pre-application and application processes.
•Knowledge of grid connection processes, distribution network operators, or related infrastructure development.
•Project management qualification (PRINCE2, Association for Project Management, or equivalent) — useful but not required.