WITH only six months to go before service personnel withdraw from Germany and move to the UK under the Army Basing Programme (ABP), huge progress has been made to deliver the new and improved accommodation required for soldiers at garrisons across Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA).

A total of 49 buildings have been completed and handed over, including Junior and Senior Ranks’ Single Living Accommodation (SLA) and 34 technical accommodation buildings including Regimental Headquarters, offices and training facilities already in use by the Army.

Around 2,400 single en-suite bed spaces for soldiers have been created behind the wire. In December, the final modular unit for SPTA was completed at the Rollalong factory in Wimborne and is scheduled for installation at Tidworth Garrison in early 2019.

Since the ABP began in November 2016, ADCW has worked nearly five million construction hours at its four major project sites in Bulford, Tidworth, Perham Down and Larkhill. In all, 130 new buildings are being delivered alongside 80 extensions, alterations and refurbishments. A total of 127 demolitions have been completed.

Mark Duddy, ABP programme director said: “I am proud of the excellent collaboration between the Army, DIO and Aspire that has been instrumental in delivering this first class working and living accommodation. All of the significant effort by the ABP and Aspire Defence during 2018 has been focused on enabling the final phase of the Army Basing Programme. Nearly 4,000 Service personnel will be moving next year, and I am confident that they will be impressed with the scale and quality of what has been provided by the ABP at their new home on Salisbury Plain.”

Lt Col David Penniall, Larkhill Deputy Garrison Commander said: “This year has seen a huge change in the Larkhill Garrison estate, with a significant number of new SLA buildings for the soldiers returning from Germany and those moving internally within the UK.”

“The technical accommodation being delivered is amongst the very best in Defence and the improvements will significantly enhance soldiers working and living environments.”

By September 2019, a quarter of the British Army will be based on Salisbury Plain.