First two projects under new MoD contract break ground at RAF sites

Above: (left to right) DEO Programme Manager – Ross Porter, DEO CSP Project Manager – Pete Dias, DEO Project Manager – Nicola Bond, RAF Boulmer Station Commander – Wing Commander Joseph Redhead, ASP3 SRO – Air Commodore Simon Blackwell, Galliford Try Operations Manager – Roger Morton and Air Infra Project Sponsor – Russell Jones break ground at RAF Boulmer.
Courtesy MoD

Galliford Try was awarded the contract to develop the design and deliver the required infrastructure at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire and RAF Boulmer in Northumberland as part of a Strategic Alliance contract that was signed in 2023 to deliver key projects under the MoD’s wider Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio, a £5.1 billion investment in future infrastructure across the Defence Estate.

DEO is investing in new and refurbished military accommodation and housing for over 40,000 service personnel and their families, as well as technical, training and office space for over 63,000 personnel, including civilian staff. 
 
The Air C2 (Command and Control) Force, responsible for 24/7 air surveillance of the UK, assigned NATO airspace, and other overseas locations, as well as directing military air systems to safeguard the UK and its NATO allies, will benefit from new Single Living Accommodation and office facilities at both sites following their relocation from RAF Scampton.

Air Commodore Simon Blackwell, Commander Airbases for the RAF said: “This strategic move supports the RAF’s commitment to operational excellence while reflecting our dedication to providing high-quality working and living environments for our personnel. The relocation enables enhanced integration, resilience and agility across the Air C2 Force, ensuring it remains ready to meet current and future challenges.”

The contract replaced the project-by-project approach to tendering with a more efficient programmatic one which tendered a large number of regional packages of work in one process, allowing multiple contractors to share best practice and innovative design options that focus on meeting the needs of our military personnel.

Construction at both sites will be managed on behalf of the MOD by the Defence Infrastructure
Organisation (DIO).

Ross Porter, Defence Infrastructure Organisation Programme Manager, said: “After several years of pre-construction work and a huge collaborative effort from all parties involved, progressing to Construction at RAF Boulmer and RAF Leeming is a great milestone to reach. 

“We’re very much looking forward to delivering first-class office and accommodation facilities for Air
C2 Force, as part of the Defence Estates Optimisation Portfolio.”

Christian Standage, Defence Director for Galliford Try commented: “We are delighted to have started on site at RAF Leeming and RAF Boulmer. As the first Strategic Alliance partner to go live on projects from the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) portfolio, we want to credit the hard work of our teams working within DIO and the MoD to progress the designs that meet our customer’s aspirations for future defence assets. We look forward to collaborating closely with all the stakeholders to make that vision a reality.”  

Providing this essential infrastructure will enable the RAF to make best use of its estate whilst also delivering capabilities which are critical to Defence.