DIO completes new homes for forces families in Cyprus
DIO handed over new service family accommodation (SFA) at RAF Akrotiri in a special ceremony earlier this month.
New seismically compliant homes for service families at RAF Akrotiri. MOD Crown Copyright 2020.
The Commander British Forces Cyprus (BFC) was in attendance at the Cyprus base and was given a short tour of the site prior to the handover of the properties from DIO and the local supply chain.
The £10-million project has delivered 26 SFA homes for service personnel and their families, replacing homes that are no longer fit for purpose. The works included the demolition of eight existing SFA homes to create Brownfield sites and associated design works to bring existing designs up to current regulatory standards. The houses were constructed on three separate construction sites with a small number of construction workers on each site.
The new homes are seismically compliant and served as a ‘test bed’ to the UK Strategic Command (UKSC) / BFC-wide Seismic Compliance Programme. The project is seen as an exemplar and will help guide the next two phases of construction and design development respectively. Cyprus is in a seismically active region of the world and the country’s government requires all property to be built in accordance with strict anti-seismic regulations.
The project team was praised for its response to the COVID-19 situation. The team which includes contractors Iacovou Brothers and Ramboll UK implemented COVID-19 safety measures quickly which meant the project was able to continue with little delay.
Chris Wood, DIO Project Manager, said:
DIO is pleased to be able to deliver this industry-recognised project to service personnel and their families at RAF Akrotiri.
The base and the work that takes place there is incredibly important and it is equally important that those living and working there have good quality, fit for purpose accommodation.
Following the One Team approach with all colleagues has truly paid dividends. UKSC, BFC and the project team’s response to the Covid pandemic has truly shown the benefits of collaboration and team work.
Major General Robert Thomson, Commander British Forces Cyprus, said:
BFC is extremely happy with the quality of the houses delivered and the project team’s response to the Covid pandemic.
Paul Stubbs, Director, Ramboll UK said:
Ramboll is extremely proud to have been at the heart of a collaborative team which has resolved issues as they have arisen, ultimately improving the living and working environment for our armed forces and civil servants in Cyprus.
RAF Akrotiri is an extremely busy Permanent Joint Operating Base that supports ongoing operations in the region as well as support for the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus. It is used as a forward mounting base for overseas operations in the Middle East and for fast jet training.