DIO refurbishes homes for sailors at HMNB Clyde
Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde (HMNB Clyde) is a step closer to becoming the home of the entire UK Submarine Service with the refurbishment of 34 service family homes in Helensburgh, thanks to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).
Above:
Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell MP; Captain of the Base, Captain Craig Mearns; Air Commodore Wendy Rothery, DIO’s Head of Accommodation, with staff from DIO and Amey.
Courtesy MoD / Crown Copyright
The Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) DIO led the £1.5 million refurbishment at Bannachra Drive in Helensburgh, which will help improve the lives of Royal Navy families already living in the area and of some of the hundreds of families expected to move to the vicinity when the base becomes the Submarine Centre of Specialisation.
From 2020 HMNB Clyde will host all of the Royal Navy’s hunter killer submarines and will be the future home of the Dreadnought class of nuclear deterrent submarines. The MoD is investing hundreds of millions of pounds in developing HMNB Clyde, with the construction phases of the work expected to support a further 1,000 contractor jobs.
The development of the site will see the number employed rise from the current figure of 6,800 to an eventual population of 8,500, with up to 1,400 Royal Navy submariners moving to the area from Plymouth. In the future all submariners will expect to serve their entire career at HM Naval Base Clyde, ensuring greater harmony and stability for them and their families. The refurbishment of these 34 family homes also contributes to the joint Royal Navy and Argyll and Bute Council strategy to align the development of the naval base with local needs such as planning and transport.
The extensive upgrade work at Bannachra, which was carried out by Amey and contractor Bells Ltd, included the fitting of new roofs, windows and doors, as well as new boilers, external wall insulation and rendering of the buildings. Work was also undertaken to replace fencing and gates and rain water goods, with chimneys on the properties also removed and garage roofs replaced.