Press Release
£8bn MoD Project Enters Construction Phase
Issue date: 7 April 2006
With Entec's technical support since 1999, providing strategic and detailed estates advice, including responsibility for outline planning approval, Project Allenby/Connaught is now entering the construction phase. This is the MoD's largest ever accommodation PFI project worth £8bn over its 35 year lifespan, and will provide living and working accommodation for 18,000 military and civilian staff.
It will see the significant redevelopment of the British Army’s garrisons at Aldershot , Tidworth and Bulford, Warminster, Larkhill, and Perham Down. New en-suite single living accommodation will be constructed along with new technical and working areas and there will be substantial redevelopment and refurbishment of existing facilities. The project provides for the construction of more than 350 new buildings, refurbishment to a further 140 and the demolition of more than 400 buildings.
Entec advised the MoD initially through the Project Allenby Strategic Development Plan and the Project Connaught Initial Studies. Since the projects were combined as a single PFI project, Entec has acted as technical advisor through all the procurement stages (prequalification, tender and revise and/or confirm). This specifically included the development of a detailed Public Sector Comparator and Statement of Requirements. The creation of output driven specifications for a vast and varied estate was a key deliverable which Entec delivered in accordance with the project programme. This included liaison in with over 200 active units across the sites. The procurement process culminated in the selection of Aspire Defence as preferred bidder in July 2003 and the achievement of financial close. The project has been financed by the issuance of the largest project bond seen to date in the London market.
Iain Findlay, the director who led the Entec team, commented:
“We are delighted to have been involved in this major estate development project from inception to financial close. The transformation of the living accommodation for a significant element of the British Army was a key objective behind the project and it is pleasing to be able to see the design development work that has been achieved from the initial studies to the final scheme designs. Throughout, the development works have been assessed in terms of a number of key technical areas including sustainability and durability and we are looking forward to being able to continue to support the project into the contract management stage”.
Enquiries to:
Francesco Corsi
Email: corsf@entecuk.co.uk
Tel: 0191 272 6128
Fax: 0191 272 6592
or;
Iain Findlay, project director
Email: findi@entecuk.co.uk
Tel: 01926 439000
Notes to Editors
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