DIO delivers new training facility for Army engineers

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has delivered a new training facility for Army engineers at MOD Lyneham.

Over the past two and half years DIO, working with its contractor Hercules (a 50:50 joint venture between Kier Group and Balfour Beatty), has transformed the former RAF base at Lyneham into a new training facility for the Army’s Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), which is due to complete its move to the site from Arborfield and Bordon in early 2016.

The £121 million construction project, part of a £230 million investment in redeveloping the site, includes new and refurbished Single Living Accommodation for trainees, purpose-built enhanced training facilities including classrooms, training suites, a large outdoor training area, a medical and dental centre, a gymnasium, outdoor sports facilities, refurbished offices, a refurbished Sergeants’ and Officers’ Mess with a new extension and REME’s new regimental museum, developed in the Old Officers’ Mess. In total the project involved building around 60,000m² of new buildings and refurbishing 65,000m² of existing units.

The new facility also re-uses part of the old RAF station, which is more sustainable than constructing new buildings. The airfield area, with its runway, which will be used for outdoor training, is a good example of this.

DIO lead project manager Graeme Wildridge said:

“This is a significant milestone in the delivery of the new REME facility at Lyneham. This project is a fantastic example of how DIO is supporting our Armed Forces by providing the right facilities in the right place to meet their needs. The close working relationships and team effort between all those involved within this project has resulted in the successful handover of facilities.”

DIO Director of Projects and Programme Delivery Air Vice-Marshal Elaine West visited the new facility and said:

“MOD Lyneham will be a fantastic place to train our Military personnel. The new facilities will enable REME to come together in one location. We’re all proud of the contribution we’re making to the Armed Forces – DIO’s purpose is to support the Armed Forces by providing what they need to live, work and train, and this project ticks all three boxes in one development.”

Roger Frost, Project Director for Hercules, said:

“We are delighted to have worked on such a high profile major project for DIO.

“The scale of the 93-week construction project, which spans a 1,200 acre site and has employed over 1,400 individuals at construction peak and 40 local companies during its lifetime, should not be underestimated – it reflects Balfour Beatty and Kier’s reputation for safely delivering high-quality, sustainable solutions."

Hercules worked with the Forces Career Transition Partnership, which assists military personnel to secure permanent work on completion of their service, and Enterprise Works, a Swindon-based organisation which supports individuals with a disability, specifically injured ex-services personnel, to secure employment.

Mr Frost said:

“We’re very proud of what we’ve delivered here and our support for ex-service personnel to secure employment along the way. We wish MOD Lyneham’s new residents all the best in their new home.”

Press enquiries to Kirsty Williams, Communications Officer 01985 222862 or email kirsty.williams600@mod.uk  

DIO website: www.gov.uk/dio

Twitter: @mod_dio

Read DIO’s blog: https://insidedio.blog.gov.uk/

Notes to Editors  

1) The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) plays a vital role in supporting our Armed Forces by building, maintaining and servicing what the men and women who serve our country need to live, work, train and deploy on operations.

2) DIO is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). It is responsible for managing and maintaining land and properties, as well as providing related support services, to meet the current and future needs of the MOD and personnel at home and abroad, and to support current operations.

3) Our work includes supporting operational units by providing and improving 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, and its heritage is protected, and to achieve its environmental goals.

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