UK Defence Training Estate receives £4.4m investment for added realism

Delivered through a partnership between the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), the British Army and Landmarc Support Services, the investment includes new trench systems at Copehill Down Training Village on Salisbury Plain and Eastern European-style trench networks at Eastmere Village within Stanford Training Area (STANTA) in Norfolk.

The projects improve training facilities and support the Army’s wider modernisation programme, providing soldiers with realistic environments in which to develop and refine the skills required for contemporary operations.

Realistic training environment

Designed to reflect the realities of modern conflict, the new facilities replicate the complexity of contemporary battlefields and include extensive trench networks, fighting positions, covered command posts, protected shelters, bunkers, observation points, firing platforms and vehicle positions. Integrated into existing training areas, the infrastructure creates challenging and representative environments for military personnel to train in realistic operational scenarios.

Brigadier Gavin Hatcher CBE, Head of Overseas and Training Region at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation said: “These projects demonstrate our continued investment in the Defence Training Estate and our commitment to ensuring the armed forces have access to the infrastructure they need to train effectively.

“Working closely with Landmarc and the British Army, we have delivered facilities that reflect the changing character of warfare and support realistic, demanding training. This investment will help ensure that our training estate continues to provide world-class facilities that enable soldiers to prepare for the challenges of modern operations.”

Developing tactical skills

Colonel William Robinson, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Land Warfare Centre added: “The character of conflict continues to evolve, and it is essential that our training environments evolve alongside it. These new trench systems provide soldiers with realistic facilities that support the development of tactical skills, decision-making and battlefield awareness in representative conditions. Investment in infrastructure such as this helps ensure the Defence Training Estate continues to deliver world-class training in support of operational readiness.”

David Morgan, Programme Director at Landmarc, said: “The Defence Training Estate is a national asset and maintaining its relevance requires continual investment and innovation. These projects demonstrate how customer insight, engineering expertise and collaborative delivery can come together to transform emerging requirements into realistic and enduring training capability, supporting the evolving needs of modern military training. The enhanced facilities will provide lasting value to the armed forces and help ensure the estate remains fit for the future.”

Meeting future requirements

The projects were delivered with support from specialist supply chain partners, drawing on expertise in military infrastructure, construction and estate development. The Stanford Training Area project was supported by Knights Brown Construction, 5C Consulting and Land Sculpture Civils.

By investing in modern training infrastructure, the Ministry of Defence is ensuring that the Defence Training Estate continues to evolve alongside the changing character of warfare, providing Service personnel with the environments they need to develop and maintain operational advantage. These projects form part of defence’s wider programme of estate investment and modernisation, helping ensure the estate remains fit for purpose for current and future generations, in line with the ambitions of the Defence Investment Plan.