Soldiers begin training on first sports facility delivered for Army Basing Programme
An all-weather pitch is one of the assets being delivered at Perham Down, Wiltshire, to help soldiers live, work and train.
New assets provided at Perham Down for the Army Basing Programme. Top row: sports pitch. Bottom row: (left) Junior Ranks’ Single Living Accommodation and (right) Regimental Headquarters. Photo: Crown Copyright 2018
Soldiers at Perham Down are benefitting from a new sports facility, which has been delivered by Aspire Defence for the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Army Basing Programme (ABP).
The ABP is a joint army and Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) programme, which is providing the facilities the British Army needs to live, work and train in the UK as it returns from Germany, rebases across the UK and restructures to its future Army 2020 formations.
Providing quality physical training facilities supports the army’s commitment to training and sport. Alongside sports facilities, the ABP will also deliver modern, purpose built single living and working accommodation for soldiers, from dining facilities and offices to vehicle garaging, stores and technical buildings.
The new pitch was constructed by Aspire Defence Capital Works (ADCW) and is just one of many essential assets being delivered at Perham Down. A Regimental Headquarters, several Junior Ranks’ single living accommodation (SLA) blocks and an Officers’ SLA block have already been handed over. An Officers’ Mess and gym are currently under construction.
Rhod McGregor, Project Director TidNBul (ADCW), said:
We’re very pleased to hand over this pitch as part of our wider delivery of ABP infrastructure at Perham Down. We continue to maintain an efficient pace of build progress across all our construction sites, to ensure we deliver the right assets at the right time for the army.
All ABP infrastructure across Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) and at Aldershot is being delivered under Aspire Defence’s 35 year Project Allenby/Connaught (PAC) contract, held with the MOD since 2006.
Mark Duddy, ABP Programme Director, said:
As we near peak ABP construction phase this summer, we’re delighted with the high standard of accommodation being delivered for soldiers across SPTA. The ABP is delivering real and lasting improvements across the defence estate, ensuring that British soldiers live, work and train in the best possible environments.