A contractor ‘alliance’ established last year to build single-living accommodation (SLA) for the British army using MMC has been allocated its first projects as part of plans to deliver 16,000 new bedspaces by 2034.
The six-year alliance comprises Laing O’Rourke, Reds10, Bowmer & Kirkland, ESS Modular and two Kier joint ventures.
The 1,794 projects are the first phase of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO) new programmatic approach for SLA, which aims to improve the delivery of accommodation through cost-effective solutions.
As part of this approach, DIO (an operating arm of the MoD) has created a single-living accommodation library. This provides a common base design with variations and flexibility to adapt according to the needs of the site and its personnel, such as the number of rooms required.
The alliance is part of a wider MoD plan to build or refurbish 40,000 SLA bed spaces over a decade.
The projects allocated to alliance members so far are:
Bowmer & Kirkland
- Infantry Training Centre, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire (144 bedspaces)
- Combermere Barracks, Berkshire (74 bedspaces)
- RM Condor, Angus (348 bedspaces)
- RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset (123 bedspaces)
Reds10
- Baker Barracks, Hampshire (315 bedspaces)
- RAF Cosford, Shropshire (50 bedspaces)
Kier Metek
- RM Bickleigh, Devon (166 bedspaces)
Laing O’Rourke
- RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire (228 bedspaces)
- Albermarle Barracks, Northumberland (266 bedspaces)
- RAF Honington, Suffolk (80 bedspaces)
Priority has been given to sites with ageing and poor-quality existing SLA, said the MoD.
Warren Webster, DIO’s programme director for the SLA programmatic approach, said: “The programmatic approach is already proving successful, with a number of projects underway and others allocated.
“Our new alliance is demonstrating excellent collaborative behaviours and focuses on continued improvement. Beyond that, we have plans for many more new SLA blocks at sites across the country, benefitting thousands of our service personnel for years to come.”
