Laing O’Rourke is one of six companies chosen by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to build Single Living Accommodation (SLA) for the armed forces.
The firm is joined by Bowmer and Kirkland, ESS, Modular, Kier McAvoy, Kier Metek and REDS10 to be awarded contracts through an existing Crown Commercial Services framework.
The companies submitted tenders to be considered for the new alliance, assessed on a range of requirements by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and technical support provider, Arcadis.
The alliance will run for six years and see 16,000 bedspaces built as part of a wider-MOD plan to build or refurbish 40,000 SLA bedspaces over 10 years to improve the lived experience for service personnel.
The appointments reflect DIO’s changing its programmatic approach for SLA, intended to find efficiencies and improve value for money.
A library of SLA designs has been created with a common base design, and flexibility to the site’s needs, such as the number of rooms required, while focusing on modern methods of construction (MMC) with new blocks built off-site in sections.
The designs were created to prioritise sustainability and the Government’s Net Zero Carbon strategy.
Laing O’Rourke pre-construction director Elizabeth Peters said: “We believe that alliance partnering offers best practice in public sector procurement with each of the partners pooling their expertise, in this case, to deliver high quality, sustainable single living accommodation for our valued service personnel.
“We look forward to bringing our extensive experience of delivery using modern methods of construction to the partnership over the next six years.”
Charlie Hoskins, DIO’s Director of Major Programmes and Projects, said: “I am convinced this new alliance using a programmatic approach will be crucial to improve our broader delivery of Single Living Accommodation.
“These blocks are one of the armed forces facilities we build the most, and this approach will ensure we can safely build blocks faster, to a common design, ensuring consistency of standards and driving better value for money.
“Ultimately, this is about improving the living conditions for our armed forces personnel, and every one of our suppliers is motivated by this aim.”
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