Imjin gets new facility to brief front-line NATO forces
Defence Estates (DE) has built a new eco-friendly briefing facility at Imjin Barracks in Gloucester for the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), one of NATO's front-line high readiness forces.
The briefing facility at Imjin Barracks [Picture: MOD/Crown Copyright 2010]
Working with industry partner Debut Services, DE has completed the 500-seat briefing theatre for the troops ahead of their relocation from their current base in Germany later this year.
The facility will provide modern and efficient facilities to support UK armed forces’ personnel playing a key role within NATO. It is one of a series of projects being carried out to regenerate Imjin - formerly RAF Innsworth - into a modern and sustainable headquarters for the ARRC.
Briefing Centre Manager Andy Gibbons, said:
This is a state-of-the-art facility which will allow us to prepare troops before they are deployed. The building is a big improvement on what we had before.
We are already taking bookings but things will really pick up when ARRC relocates to the Gloucester area later this summer.
The building’s design gives armed forces personnel using the briefing theatre as much flexibility as possible.
DE Project Manager Steve Jeffries, said:
This is a superb facility that will be fully utilised by the military. Some aspects of the design and construction were challenging, but we feel we have delivered a product which more than fits the bill within a tight budget.
Paul Nix, Debut’s Core Works Director, added:
The briefing theatre is one of a series of projects that we are in the process of handing over at Imjin Barracks. I am impressed with our site team and pleased that they have made such a significant contribution to the regeneration of this establishment.
The redevelopment of Imjin Barracks is part of The Borona Programme regeneration project, which sees HQ ARRC, together with HQ 1 Signals Brigade and 252 Close Support Signals Squadron move to the Gloucestershire base, which will be fully operational in August 2010.
The view from the back of the Imjin Barracks briefing facility [Picture: MOD/Crown Copyright 2010]
DE and Debut services have already completed a new motor transport workshop building on the site. This provides inspection bays and specialist repair workshops for a variety of vehicles, as well as offices, meeting room, technical library and equipment stores.
They have also upgraded existing office space and improved four junior ranks (JR) single living accommodation (SLA) blocks, comprising 140 bedrooms. Further works will include making major alterations to an existing junior ranks kitchen and demolishing a derelict hangar.