First Armed Forces families move in at Imjin Barracks
Above: Lance Corporal Peter Mitchell receives the keys to his new home from DIO Head of Accommodation, Air Commodore Leah Griffin (right) and DEO Army Programme Director, Belinda Lunn (left).
Crown Copyright MoD
A total of 278 new houses are being delivered at Innsworth through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO) Capital Purchase Programme, which is providing modern, new homes for Service personnel and their families across the UK. The homes have been funded as part of the Defence Estate Optimisation Portfolio (DEO), under the DEO Army Programme.
Lance Corporal Peter Mitchell was one of the first members of Service personnel to pick up the keys to his new family home from the DIO’s Head of Accommodation, Air Commodore Leah Griffin and DEO Army Programme Director, Belinda Lunn.
Taylor Wimpey is delivering 176 homes that have been designed to be net zero carbon ready in occupation. The homes have a range of features, including photovoltaic panels, low carbon heating systems, smart heating controls and electric vehicle charging points, which will contribute to reduced running costs for families.
Receiving the keys to his new home, LCpl Mitchell said: “I am really excited to be able to move into this new home with my family, it’s very impressive, brand new, and has all of the modern features you would want in your house.
“Living here will make a real difference to me and my family.”
Air Cdre Leah Griffin, DIO Head of Accommodation, said: “I am delighted that the first families are now able to move into these fantastic new homes at Imjin Barracks.
“Providing high quality sustainable accommodation for serving personnel is a key priority. These houses are an excellent example of how we are collaborating with industry to modernise the lived experience for our people and set the benchmark for the journey towards a zero-carbon future.”
Belinda Lunn, DEO Army Programme Director, said: “It is fantastic to see the impressive progress on site at Imjin Barracks, with the first Service Family Accommodation homes now ready for occupation.
“This is the first large-scale net zero carbon housing development procured for the Ministry of Defence, which demonstrates our ongoing investment in delivering an affordable and sustainable estate that benefits Army personnel and their families.”
Keith Simmons, Managing Director at Taylor Wimpey Bristol, said: “We are extremely proud to be working in partnership with the DIO to provide new zero carbon ready, sustainable homes, for service personnel and their families.
“We have worked hard to ensure that the homes at Imjin Barracks will provide families with the very best in terms of quality and sustainable living and it’s fantastic to see the very first families moving in and beginning to settle into life at the development. We hope these houses will have a direct impact on the lives of soldiers and their families for generations to come.”
In the last two years, a total of 424 homes have been purchased for Service families as part of the Capital Purchase Programme.
The programme works in partnership with property developers to identify where there is a need for family accommodation and determine the best way of delivering high-quality, energy efficient homes. In addition to the homes at Imjin Barracks, new homes are being delivered at other sites including Brize Norton, Portsmouth and Lossiemouth.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is the estate expert for Defence, supporting the Armed Forces to enable military capability by planning, building, maintaining, and servicing infrastructure.
The Defence Estate Optimisation Portfolio (DEO) is the single biggest estates change programme within Defence investing in more modern and sustainable infrastructure.
