DIO to upgrade facilities at New Zealand Farm Camp
Above:
(eft to right) Brig Neil Dalton (SD Training) and Major General Richard Stanford at the opening of NZ Farm Camp.
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The investment in the original World War II camp has seen 12 buildings demolished and replaced with 11 multi-functional structures, known as ‘stone tents’.
The new facilities will provide a modern, multi-purpose training complex that can be used as a ‘forward operating base’ or to replicate a terrorist camp, refugee camp and a non-governmental organisation base, or as part of a complex manoeuvre environment. It will also provide an exercise base for troops training in the local area.
Working in partnership with Landmarc Support Services, and contractor SWH Group, the project also involved improving the surrounding infrastructure with tracks and hardstandings which have been upgraded to support the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks, Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles and the new AJAX fleet.
Street lighting and a new public address system have also been provided with provision for military personnel to remotely plug in to a Field Electrical Power Supply (FEPS) generator.
Above:
Building on New Zealand Farm Camp.
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Brigadier Neil Dalton, Head of DIO’s Service Delivery Training team said: "DIO’s priority is to support our armed forces by delivering the facilities they need to live, work, train and deploy on operations. The improvement works at New Zealand Farm Camp on Salisbury Plain have delivered a versatile and modern facility for troops training in the South West.
"The investment that has been made in upgrading New Zealand Farm Camp is the biggest single investment in a training camp on Salisbury Plain since Copehill Down village in the late 1980s.
"The diverse training features that have been incorporated into the site will benefit our training troops as they will enable a variety of exercise scenarios to be undertaken."
Major General Richard Stanford, General Officer Commanding, Regional Command said: "The new facility here at New Zealand Farm Camp is outstanding; it offers our troops a modern and versatile training environment close to one of our major Garrisons on Salisbury Plain.
"The investment in New Zealand Farm Camp and other training areas allows the army to prepare in a realistic and challenging environment. Facilities such as this are critical to enabling success on operations.
Talking about the project Clive Paxman, project manager at Landmarc Support Services, said: "As DIO’s strategic partner, Landmarc worked closely with End Users and other stakeholders from the outset to understand the specific training requirements for this facility. This collaboration, coupled with experience of managing similar projects across the training estate, enabled us to embed a sustainable approach during the design phase.
"The buildings have been developed so that they provide a realistic, challenging physical training environment through strategically arranged tunnels and overhead gantries to simulate different risks and threats, doors have been fitted with ironmongery that will sustain clearance procedures, windows are designed to minimise breakages and the shutters have catches allowing them to be locked in both open and closed positions. All of this will also greatly reduce ongoing maintenance costs, allowing money to be invested elsewhere."
