Most of the development of the open land between Newhaven and Rottingdean was brought about by an entrepreneur called Charles W Neville (pictured left) through the South Coast Land and Resort Company almost a hundred years ago. He had first sought his fortune in Canada and Australia before returning to his native England.
Having purchased land in the area he attempted to sell building plots using all available means including the use of prize competitions, one notorious competition being to name the new town. Despite the winning name being ‘Anzac-on-Sea,’ the military connotations became too sensitive and the name Peacehaven was eventually adopted. Like most of his competitions, it offered as prizes cheap building plots on which Neville’s company could build a home, or free plots, on which they could charge for the conveyancing work