Portsmouth Naval Base sees £15m investment in new accommodation
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has completed a new £15m accommodation block at HMS Nelson, part of Her Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth.
The five storey structure, named the Falklands Block, is transit accommodation for personnel who will only be resident at the base for a short amount of time and will also be used for trainee musicians in the Royal Marines Band. It includes 30 en-suite single rooms and 240 beds in four bed dorms. It also boasts common rooms with kitchenette facilities.
Jesse Denwood, a Requirements Manager for DIO, said:
“It’s great to see the completion of Falklands Block. It’s ahead of schedule and brings all the junior ratings' accommodation at HMS Nelson to a modern standard. DIO is here to provide the right facilities in the right places and this is a perfect example.”
The new block has already received the seal of approval from the personnel who will be using it.
Able Seaman Connor Berry said:
“The rooms and bathrooms are a lot bigger than where I’ve stayed in the past and there is a lot more to do. The communal room is excellent.”
The new building was constructed as the final part of a project to replace the 1960s junior ratings accommodation at HMS Nelson. It also formed one of the final pieces of work under DIO’s Project SLAM, which has spent more than £1bn in the last decade to upgrade or build more than 20,000 Single Living Accommodation (SLA) bedrooms for service personnel.
Falklands Block was constructed in 18 months and is adjacent to Britannia Block, which it replaces. The final stages of the project will be completed in the summer, with the demolition of Britannia Block and construction of a car park.
The work was undertaken by Debut Services Limited, a consortium led by Lend Lease and Babcock Support Services.
Ends
Press enquiries to Helen Pickering, Assistant Communications Officer 0121 2413 or email helen.pickering101@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.
4) Photograph credits:
Able Seaman Connor Berry in the new accommodation. [Crown Copyright/MOD2015]
Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Sir Philip Jones opens the new Falklands Block. [Crown Copyright/MOD2015]
The exterior of the building during the opening ceremony. [Crown Copyright/MOD2015]
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