DIO provides army medics' new home
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has started work to make an Aldershot barracks ready to receive 3 army medical units.
Artists impression of the new accommodation (Crown copyright)
The work, which is in partnership with the army, is part of a £50 million project to transform Keogh barracks into the new home of 4 Armoured Medical Regiment (4AMR), 22 Field Hospital and Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (Frimley Park).
The £7.5 million first phase of the 3 year redevelopment involves converting the Sandhurst single living accommodation block to single occupancy rooms. It will also create a large laundrette and common rooms located on the ground floor and the officers’ mess will be upgraded.
DIO project manager Scott Ross said:
There is quite a lot to do to make these buildings fit for their new purpose, but I’m pleased to say that by working together with our army customers we will have Keogh barracks ready for these 3 medical regiments when they need to move in.
This project is an excellent example of DIO’s work to enhance the service we provide to defence and build a better estate for our armed forces.
Major Eddie Rae, second-in-command 4AMR, said:
This is a fantastic opportunity for the Army Medical Services and their soldiers’ future. Co-locating these 3 units, with their differing and complex needs and specialisms, will provide greater synergy in their operations. This will build on military medical capability in preparation to provide and support Army 2020.
Working with DIO gave us the opportunity to help shape these facilities to provide exactly what the soldiers and the army need, in a timely and efficient manner.
Further refurbishment and new buildings will provide fit-for-purpose accommodation for the 3 units, allowing them to train and work in a co-ordinated way. The medics are due to move into their new home over the summer.
The redevelopment of Keogh barracks is part of the Army Basing Programme, which will provide the facilities the army needs to live, work and train in the UK as it returns from Germany, rebases across the UK and restructures under Army 2020.
More than 30 army units have already moved and or changed roles within the UK as part of the programme, freeing up infrastructure and sites and allowing units to better align to their Army 2020 structures. In turn this creates the conditions to enable later moves from Germany and within the UK that will take place over the next 5 years.
In total £1.8 billion will be invested in infrastructure across the UK under the programme, boosting the economy, creating jobs and providing around 1,700 new homes for service families, thousands of new bed spaces for single soldiers and working, technical and training infrastructure.