PLANS to transform the former Erskine Barracks in Wilton into the UK's first purpose built community campus for veterans has moved a step closer.

Permission was granted for the final phase of the project yesterday (Wednesday), which is being led by regeneration and development specialists Our Enterprise.

Work on the site has started and it is hoped the first veterans will be able to move in in July 2017. And construction work on the community building on the Our Enterprise site will start in the summer.

Our Enterprise is working alongside Redrow Homes to create the development.

Alongside 292 private homes being built by Redrow Homes, Our Enterprise will build a community based campus for service veterans with homes, an enterprise hub, crèche, care home and retail units.

The community campus element of the project will be managed by Our Wilton, a community interest company and charity created by Our Enterprise.

It will include at least 44 homes for veterans who will rent the units for a period of between six and 24 months while they receive business and skills training. They then move on to make room for another veteran.

The community hub will offer training and help for veterans to launch their own businesses and will sit alongside facilities for up to 60 other local businesses.

Our Enterprise partnered with Redrow Homes to buy the former Land Command site and full planning consent has now been granted by Wiltshire Council for the entire development . 

Our Enterprise CEO Matthew Bell said: “When Wilton Community Land Trust came to me I immediately spotted an opportunity. The Erskine Barracks had been put up for sale and there were fears the site could be turned into a massive housing estate with little or no consideration for the area’s military heritage. I knew we had a unique opportunity to do something different.

“It needed to be a genuine business opportunity for the builder, while at the same time offering an incredible opportunity to our military personnel returning from conflicts overseas.

“Within ten minutes of meeting the Redrow chief executive John Tutte, I knew we could make this work."

The project is Our Enterprise's first major project, which he hopes will make a lasting difference in the area. 

Mr Bell said: “I believe we have come up with a plan which will reinvigorate this community and transform many lives for the better.”

The former military buildings have been demolished on the Our Enterprise part of the site which will include the veterans’ accommodation, enterprise hub, crèche and retail units.

John Tutte, Redrow Homes Group chief executive, said: “This scheme is a terrific example of how working in partnership can bring huge environmental, economic and social benefits to communities.

“There are more than 50,000 veterans in Wiltshire and given the site’s former military history, it was important to us to ensure an element of the development was dedicated to providing homes and facilities for veterans.”