Work starts on new accommodation for army medics
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has started work on new en-suite single living accommodation for army medics at Keogh Barracks in Ash Vale, Surrey.
4 Armoured Medical Regiment recently relocated to Keogh Barracks. Photo: Crown Copyright 2015
The £3.9 million project is being carried out in partnership with modular construction specialists, Rollalong, and is planned to complete in summer next year.
Once finished, the 70 bed facility will conclude the modernisation of junior ranks accommodation at the barracks. It follows recent works to convert existing accommodation from multi-occupancy rooms to single rooms.
It’s part of a wider £50 million redevelopment project to enhance the barracks over 4 years for its new occupants.
4 Armoured Medical Regiment (4AMR) relocated to the site earlier this year from nearby Normandy Barracks in Aldershot and 22 Field Hospital and Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (Frimley Park) are scheduled to move to Keogh Barracks from next year, following further refurbishment and new buildings.
Mark Lancaster, Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans, said:
This new facility will provide our service personnel with the modern fit-for-purpose living accommodation they deserve and it’s a great example of how we’re continuing to invest in infrastructure across the estate.
Major Rob O’Brien, Quartermaster 4AMR, said:
We will be able to accommodate all junior ranks in modern rooms within the barracks when this building comes on line. DIO has already impressed us with the successful delivery of single room conversions of the existing junior ranks accommodation and we look forward to receiving the keys to this new building next summer.
Existing Junior Ranks SLA recently refurbished into single rooms for 4 Armoured Medical Regiment. Photo: Crown Copyright 2015
George Liu, DIO Project Manager, said: “I am pleased to be able to further improve the living conditions for soldiers and medics based at the barracks. This is another step towards the Army Basing Programme providing fit-for-purpose facilities at Keogh Barracks as part of our redevelopment of the site.”
Over £30 million of remaining major works will follow with procurement starting shortly to provide a new Sergeants’ Mess, stores, vehicle workshops and an armoury.
The redevelopment of Keogh Barracks is part of the Army Basing Programme (ABP), which is providing 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. This year more than 5,000 service personnel have returned to the UK from Germany and 1,800 have relocated within the UK as part of the programme.
DIO is continually investing in single living accommodation across the defence estate. Improvement programmes have provided more than 50,000 new and refurbished bed spaces for service personnel in the last 10 years and the ABP will provide more than 5,000 further new and refurbished bed spaces.