Spades are in the ground for the construction of a 50-bedroom single living accommodation (SLA) block at RAF Cosford in Shropshire.
Modular construction specialist Reds10 said that sustainability was “central” to the design of the block, which features air source heat pumps for heating and hot water, photovoltaic panels and an intelligent building management system to improve efficiency.
The accommodation will provide 50 en-suite bedrooms, as well as kitchenettes, communal space, equipment storage and laundry facilities.
Reds10 said that while the project will not be the new SLA common design, “lessons will continue to be learned” to ensure that the needs of service personnel are met while also contributing to the government’s net-zero strategy.
‘Greater value for money’
Reds10 is delivering the £12m project for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), which awarded the contract through the £1bn SLA programmatic approach framework alliance to build 16,000 new bedspaces over the next 10 years for Armed Forces personnel.
Reds10 said the project has already contributed to the local economy through £120,000 spent with local suppliers.
Peter Shaw, project manager for DIO major programmes and projects, said: “We are looking forward to delivering this project as part of the SLA programmatic approach, which will ensure we can safely build consistent accommodation blocks faster, while also driving greater value for money.”
Phil Cook, managing director of defence for Reds10, said: “We’re proud to be delivering the first project to complete under the SLA alliance at RAF Cosford, a significant milestone in transforming how accommodation for service personnel is delivered across the MoD estate.
“By combining our expertise in industrialised construction with a strong, collaborative relationship with DIO, we’re helping to set a new benchmark for quality, sustainability and speed of delivery, ensuring those serving our country have the high-quality living environments they deserve.”
Completion is expected in July 2026.
