Contract awarded to build 138 new homes for service families in Cyprus
Above:
Representatives from DIO, UK Strategic Command and Lagan Iacovou JV on the site where 138 new homes will be built.
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The work will be carried out by the Lagan Iacovou Joint Venture (JV) on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and UK Strategic Command as part of the APOLLO programme. The scheme has been funded by UK Strategic Command and delivered through the Defence Capital Infrastructure Programme.
The 138-house project will deliver three- and four-bedroom properties, which have all been designed to be sustainable for years to come, features include solar panels, air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points. The new houses have also been designed to be seismically compliant, meaning that safeguards against earthquakes have been incorporated into their design.
As part of the project, green, shaded community spaces will be created in front of the houses, whilst service roads will provide access to the rear.
David Graham, Head of International Projects for DIO Major Programmes and Projects, said: "I am delighted to be leading our team that will be delivering 138 new service family houses at Dhekelia Station.
"We are very happy to be working collaboratively with our technical partners Ramboll and our Overseas Framework contractor Lagan Iacovou JV in this delivery.
"This investment highlights DIO and UK Strategic Command’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality homes for our service personnel and their families."
Tracey Fuoco, APOLLO Programme Director, UK Strategic Command, said: "The award of the contract to Lagan Construction and the Iacovou Group for 138 new seismically compliant homes in Dhekelia represents a significant step towards achieving the APOLLO programme’s aim of reducing the risk posed by earthquakes to people living and working across the Sovereign Base Areas.
"I’m grateful to the project team for all the work which they have done to get the project to this point. The new housing will provide modern homes for service families in Dhekelia and I look forward to seeing the work progressing on site from early next year."
Steve Turner, Managing Director of Lagan Aviation & Infrastructure, and George Iacovou, Managing Director of the Iacovou Group, speaking on behalf of the JV, said: "The Lagan Iacovou JV is delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver new Service Family Accommodation in Cyprus. These new homes will offer protection against earthquakes, as well as updating accommodation to create modern and sustainable places to live.
"As a joint venture, both Lagan Aviation & Infrastructure and Iacovou Brothers (Constructions) Ltd have long-standing experience in delivering seismically compliant buildings across the Defence Estate in Cyprus and are looking forward to getting work started when we move onto site."
The APOLLO programme is an extended programme of work that is designed to enhance the resilience of critical UK military assets in Cyprus whilst meeting modern building regulations, rationalising the built estate and facilitating modern ways of working.
It will modernise much of the British Forces Cyprus (BFC) and Sovereign Base Area (SBA) administration infrastructure and service family accommodation across Episkopi, Akrotiri, Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos.
The contract award follows the completion of the first 34 SFA being built under the APOLLO programme, which were handed over in June at RAF Akrotiri. A further 11 homes are expected to be completed at the same site next year.
