Creating Spaces: Shaping Futures
Peter Marsh Consulting Ltd (PMc) is a client advisory and project management consultancy which exists to create places and shape futures.
PMc is now an employee owned company of specialist project managers, strategic client advisors, space planners and providers of interim leadership services. We work predominantly with providers of education and Local Authorities. Our team of directly employed staff bring a wide range of experience to our work; their backgrounds vary from education, architecture, project management, cost consultancy, finance, senior leadership, estates and contract management.
Our diversity makes us think and act differently from other more traditional surveyor-led practices.
Our work in schools, further education colleges and universities across the UK and abroad is at the heart of our business – but it is not all that we do. We also work with Local Authorities, Central Government and other agencies as:
- Strategic Client Advisors;
- Project and Programme Managers;
- Employers Agents & Contract Administrators;
- Cost Consultants;
- Space Planners and Estates Advisors;
- Education and curriculum leaders; and,
- Strategic Financial Advisors.
We deliver refurbishment and new build construction projects. Before we get to the point of helping to let construction contracts, we take time to work closely with our clients to advise, guide and challenge them, from the shaping of their initial vision through to defining a clear brief for the spaces they want to create; we help define the business plan that will support the future delivery of projects; and, we help write business cases to secure funding for realistic and value-for-money building projects.
Our Approach
Peter Marsh Consulting was established in 2011: we exist to make a difference. Between us we have over 60 years of senior leadership experience in the fields of education, housing and the commercial sector, yet, as a company we are small enough to guarantee senior level leadership of all of our projects. We deliver a bespoke approach to each assignment, centred around the individual values and drivers of each of our clients.
The vast majority of our work comes from repeat business and/or direct referrals from existing clients. We enjoy the mutual challenge and support that comes with long term relationships.
The value we add to your project or business will always exceed our costs. Our cost and value promise is both simple and unique: if at any time you think we are charging more than we are worth then simply tell us and we will reduce our fee accordingly.
"Congratulations to you and your team for the brilliant work in developing a comprehensive estates strategy for The Henley College. The Board, SLT and our staff are all very excited by the future of our College and our legacy for the future generations of Henley community and beyond."
Satwant Deol
Principal & Chief Executive - The Henley College
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"We recently commissioned PMc to carry out an Estates Strategy for the College, which currently occupies 5 sites. PMc were a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. Their organisation of the task was swift, their expertise and integrity completely sound which instilled confidence in the company from the outset. During the project Peter and his team updated us on a very regular basis either by conference call or meetings to test and refine our views and led to a final presentation to the Board of Governors. The expertise from the whole team was invaluable to this process as was their support.
Thank you PMc – a pleasure to work with."
Thank you PMc – a pleasure to work with."
Claire Boliver
Principal and Chief Executive Officer - South Staffordshire College
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"I would highly recommend Peter, Robert and their team to other colleges in the sector - they will exceed your expectations and add so much more value than you expect as a result of their unique combined experience, knowledge and passion for FE Colleges."
Dr Sam Parrett OBE
Group Principal and CEO - London and South East Education Group
"Through the development and implementation of a multi-phase £28m capital investment project, Peter, and the team he led, delivered a combination of new build and refurbishment of the entire college over two campuses in just 1000 days, on time and within budget."
Nigel Duncan
Principal - Fareham College
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"The linear building stands as a gateway and as a prominent and confident symbol of the wider Enterprise Zone. As a Centre of Excellence, the building offers a broad range of engineering training facilities as well as conference and other facilities to the Zone’s business community and beyond."
Civic Trust Judging Panel 2015
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"Peter brought gravitas, astute commercial awareness and an unquestionable drive to succeed in these challenging negotiations. He quickly identified the key blockages to the negotiations by understanding the underlying commercial risks facing the PFI provider whilst effectively safeguarding the Council’s position. Without Peter’s tenacity and sophisticated communication skills the Council would have lost £60million BSF funding and the transformation of 6 schools would not have taken place."
Aman Dalvi
Corporate Director Regeneration - London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"Peter brought gravitas, astute commercial awareness and an unquestionable drive to succeed in these challenging negotiations. He quickly identified the key blockages to the negotiations by understanding the underlying commercial risks facing the PFI provider whilst effectively safeguarding the Council’s position. Without Peter’s tenacity and sophisticated communication skills the Council would have lost £60million BSF funding and the transformation of 6 schools would not have taken place."
Aman Dalvi
Corporate Director Regeneration - London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"Thank you and your team for delivering such a clear presentation to our Board. They were really satisfied with the information they received and were impressed with the detail you were able to present."
Claire Boliver
Principle and Chief Executive Officer - South Staffordshire College
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"The process of engagement and working with Peter and his team was inspiring and enjoyable in equal quantities. They approached the brief with energy and enthusiasm and we quickly realised they were passionate about their work and shared our ambitions for our estate. They fully understand the challenges and constraints associated with the FE Estate - in discussing utilisation issues,
operational management constraints, our desire to create outstanding learning spaces for teaching and learning and how to develop and maximise the rebuilding options we always felt they were operating as our ‘in house’ experts."
Dr Sam Parrett OBE
Group Principal and CEO - London and South East Education Group
"Whilst it was a huge learning curve by working together as a team we came up with something that exceeded expectations in what it is, what it looks like and what it can do."
Steve Dingsdale
Assistant Principal - Fareham College & Managing Director, CEMAST
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"We established a strong professional relationship with the company and whilst we were subject to considerable challenge and robust discussion around the utilisation of buildings and our future requirements - as we explored the options with them we always felt that they were solution focussed and made an extremely positive contribution to our thinking about teaching and learning spaces and our future plans and possibilities."
Dr Sam Parrett OBE
Group Principal and CEO - London and South East Education Group
"The CEMAST project has gained national recognition for its attractive and efficient learning environments. Fareham College had the vision, Peter Marsh delivered it!"
Nigel Duncan
Principal - Fareham College
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"Peter and I worked very closely together throughout the 2000-2005 period when he led the major transformation of the College’s estate. The complexity of the funding, space planning and financial modelling that underpinned the delivery of these projects was seriously impressive. What really stood out for me was the vision and passion with which he delivered each project, and the way all the teams who worked for him bought into that vision, and in doing so, created a set of remarkable learning environments."
Frank McLoughlin CBE
Principal - City & Islington College
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"Peter brings a rare combination of financial astuteness, a passion for great design and a deep insight into the ways in which well-planned space can enhance learning. His drive and enterprise were fundamental to the successful completion of what was the most ambitious property strategy undertaken in the FE sector at the time."
Jack Morris OBE
Chairman - Business Design Centre Group Ltd
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"This example of part-refurbishment, part-rebuild is an exemplary case of blending old and new. But it is also a perfect example of an education project doing so much to kick-start the urban regeneration of the area in which it sits."
Judging Panel, Prime Minister's Better Public Building Awards, 2004
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"I have now had chance to review the draft South Staffordshire College Estates Strategy document and have to say it is an excellent piece of work. Thank you to you and your team for all of your efforts and for fitting around our timescales."
Claire Boliver
Principal and Chief Executive Officer - South Staffordshire College
January, 2020
"The popularity of the building and its welcoming character are an excellent example of public buildings reinforcing both a community and urban environment."
Judging Panel, Civic Trust Awards
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"Peter Marsh (2000-06) took on the task of planning and managing the whole rebuilding programme. Peter combined financial and management skills with a passionate understanding and commitment to the role accommodation could play in the college's educational mission."
Tom Jupp (Principal 1993-2001) & Andrew Morris (Former College Governor)
Thursday, August 31, 2017
"As Principal, I had a vision, but I needed someone to bring it to fruition. Peter Marsh presented the ideal solution; knowledgeable about further education, an expert in project management and with astute financial management, Peter gave Fareham College the required expertise to deliver the ‘dream’."
Nigel Duncan
Principal - Fareham College
Thursday, August 31, 2017
“Throughout the journey and for a long time after, many people have asked ‘HOW was CETC possible?’. A big part of that answer is that PMCs contribution was HUGE because they ‘thought so much BIGGER’. Even at the toughest times they believed it was possible and always ‘found a way’. They were extremely fair, professional and clear. They worked tirelessly to ensure a rapid resolution of each challenge, so much so, that it’s my opinion that ‘not one issue took longer than 14 days to resolve in its entirety and in my experience that is unheard of.
Recommending companies is not something I like doing, BUT, Peter Marsh Consulting Ltd, and particularly Mo Poswell and Peter Marsh, are people I hold in the highest regard. They would unquestionably be my first choice.”
Mark Wells
Blanchard Wells Construction
"I wanted to say thank you again for the amazing work you have done and do with the College, you are definitely part of our team and it’s been a real pleasure working with you."
Karen Mitchell
Principal - Buckinghamshire College Group
“I appointed Peter and PMc to work with us to lead the estates work-stream and develop our property strategy because
of his track record of leading major developments at Farnham and elsewhere, the respect with which he is held by our
regulator (the SFA), and the confdence he inspires in potential funders including the Solent LEP and other partners.
The PMc team have demonstrated empathy with our vision and have already helped shape the merger advisory board’s
early thinking. We look forward to working with Peter and his team to develop an accommodation strategy for the new
college that is ambitious, deliverable and frmly rooted in the educational mission of the new institution.”
Mike Gaston
Principal and Chief Executive of South Downs College
“It had been a strategic objective, some would say a ‘dream’, of Fareham College for many years to secure suffcient
capital investment funds to transform its campus. Its learning environments were dated, tired and ineffcient. It needed
to create modern effcient and attractive facilities if it was going to compete against local organisations that were
already enjoying new and attractive facilities.
As Principal, I had a vision, but I needed someone to bring it to fruition. Peter Marsh presented the ideal solution;
knowledgeable about further education, an expert in project management and with astute fnancial management, Peter
gave Fareham College the required expertise to deliver the ‘dream’.Through the development and implementation of
a multi-phase £28m capital investment project, Peter, and the team he led, delivered a combination of new build and
refurbishment of the entire college over two campuses in just 1000 days, on time and within budget.
The projects included site acquisition and disposal as well as the build projects, their ft out and commissioning. The
CEMAST project has gained national recognition for its attractive and effcient learning environments. Fareham College
had the vision, Peter Marsh and his team delivered it!”
Nigel Duncan
Principal and Chief Executive of Fareham College
“I would like to thank you and your team for helping us to deliver our vision which we set out in January 2017 – PMc
have guided us well with our development plans to deliver parts of the vision in a different way to our original plan. It
has been a pleasure working with you and your partners to have had the projects delivered well on time, within budget
and with the least inconvenience to staff and students.”
Satwant Deol
Principal of The Henley College
“We chose to work with Peter and his team on this project based on the successful delivery of the CEMAST project
in Fareham and his strong understanding of both the construction process and FE curriculum delivery. The project has
faced a number of legal, funding and design challenges which Peter has helped us work through with tenacity and drive.
We very much look forward to welcoming the frst cohort of learners into the new centre in the Autumn of 2017 and
for the FSC to become a key part of the local economy – supporting the construction industry and local community in
equal measure.”
Phillip Walker
Head of Future Skills, Hampshire County Council
“Peter and the team worked with us to develop a long term estates strategy for the college and to complete the
business case and bids for two rounds of capital funding. The team were a joy to work with from start to fnish.
They very quickly grasped the distinctive culture and values of our organisation, and refected this thoroughout the
documentation and all interactions. They managed to complete a vast amount of in-depth research in a very short
timeframe, including establishing the condition and utilisation of all aspects of our multi-building and multi-site estate.
They presented a range of creative options to us; challenging out thinking and helping us see the potential bids, fully
aligned to the funding body guidance and the deliverables required. Whether or not the bids are successful, I am proud
to say that we now have a comprehensive Estates Strategy that will guide the future development of the estate to
support our curriculum vision and strategy”
Clare Russell
Principal & CEO, Runshaw College