DIO delivers new equestrian facilities for King’s Troop
Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has delivered state-of-the-art technical equestrian accommodation for the mounted soldiers of King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery (KTRHA) at Napier Lines, Woolwich.
Working with industry partner Morgan Sindall Plc, the major construction project has transformed existing buildings to form an indoor riding school, workshops, welfare facilities and general amenities area.
Other new construction works include:
- Troop headquarters, stores and workshops;
- pharmacy and forge;
- gun park for housing the regimental cannons and limbers;
- stabling and associated stores, workshops, exercise facilities for 140 horses; and
- all-weather training and grassed training areas.
KTRHA are now using their new facilities and there is agreement for a ground-breaking biomass plant to be delivered in early summer. The first of its kind in the country, it will use renewable energy derived from horse manure and bedding collected on-site to provide heat for the complex.
All told, DIO has delivered a total of 31,000 square metres of external exercise and parade areas together with a total floor area in excess of 10,500 square metres for offices and workshop facilities excluding hard and soft landscaping.
DIO Head of Projects Bill Yardley said:
“DIO’s top priority is to support our Armed Forces as they prepare for operations. We are delighted to have worked so successfully with our industry partner Morgan Sindall to deliver these state-of-the-art facilities.
“We have put a lot of hard work into providing a new home for Kings Troop which will be fit to help them to successfully prepare for the ceremonial duties which they will carry out in the months and years to come.”
DIO has a duty to provide value and meet Government requirements to plan for a sustainable future. The sustainable elements of the build are a key element in establishing the complex’s first-class environmental credentials.
Paul Webster, Morgan Sindall’s senior project manager at the Kings Troop project said:
“We’re delighted to have worked in partnership with DIO on this innovative project. This scheme has delivered state-of-the-art technical equestrian facilities and provided a bespoke base for the Kings Troop.
“We are pleased that the scheme is already on target to achieve a bespoke BREEAM Excellent rating. It has been fascinating working on a project with such pioneering sustainable aspects and we are looking forward to the installation of the bio-mass boiler at a later date, which will provide sustainable heating for the scheme.”
The buildings were designed by London-based architects Scott Brownrigg. Ed Hayden, the associate architect responsible for the design of the facility, said:
“From day one, we envisaged the creation of a ‘carbon minus’ design, creating a facility which would provide more energy than it would consume. Sustainability is therefore the key driving feature for this BREEAM “Excellent” development; Scott Brownrigg’s design recycles horse manure and bedding to produce sufficient bio-fuel to supply the needs of the development, and allows surplus fuel to be exported off-site.”
The facilities’ architecture is simple, elegant and robust, reusing elements of the existing buildings where possible, and creating axes and views onto adjacent heritage landmarks.
In addition, the development includes solar chimneys for natural stack ventilation to the horse stables. Rainwater harvesting provides large volumes of water for general use in the stables and reduces water use throughout the site via Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs).
KTRHA personnel formally moved into the new facilities yesterday (Weds) after parading their horses and gun carriages through the streets of Woolwich, cheered by thousands of local schoolchildren, and giving a salute to councillors and other dignitaries outside Woolwich Town Hall.
The unit had been stationed at St John's Wood Barracks since its formation by King George VI in 1947, before closing this significant chapter in their history on Monday 6 February - the anniversary of their royal creator's death.
ENDS
Further information:
Press enquiries to Tony Moran, Senior Communications Officer on 0121 311 3879 or email tony.moran572@mod.uk
Notes to editors
1. Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). It is responsible for managing and maintaining land and properties to meet the current and future needs of the MOD and personnel at home and abroad, and to support current operations.
2. Our work includes providing, supporting and improving: operational units; single living and service family accommodation; training areas and historic military sites. DIO actively manages these to ensure the needs of Defence are met, value for money is achieved, our heritage is protected and to achieve our environmental goals.
3. DIO was formed on 1 April 2011 when the former Defence Estates (DE) organisation was brought together with other property and infrastructure functions within department to form a single organisation. DIO manages the MOD’s property infrastructure and ensures strategic management of the Defence estate as a whole.
4. Images attached – please credit ‘Crown copyright/MOD 2012.
Captions:
- Lance Bombardier (LBdr) Mark French, Farrier for The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery makes some new horse shoes for the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery at their new Woolwich base.
- New stables for the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery at Napier Lines, Woolwich.
Further images are available on request.
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