Thousands of military homes to be modernised with £200m boost, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announces on Catterick Garrison visit

More than 5,000 military personnel and their families will have their homes modernised as part of the plan, Mr Wallace announced today during a visit to Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire with Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the investment will fund new kitchens, bathrooms and furnishings, as well as re-roofing, plus measures to reduce the risk of mould and damp.

It said that the funding injection will mean that 3,500 service homes will be upgraded as well as single living quarters.

The work will also make armed forces estates more environmentally friendly, with plans for better insulated doors and windows, energy-efficient boilers, solar panels and electric vehicle charging points.

The MoD said the plan will also include new play areas, resurfaced roads and energy efficient street lighting.

Catterick Garrison, the largest garrison of the British Army, will be one of the camps to benefit from the new funding.

There are also plans to replace 30 Second World War vintage accommodation blocks in Longmoor, Pirbright, Westdown, Knook, Nesscliffe and Castlemartin camps, providing new accommodation for on-call personnel in Northern Ireland.

The MoD said the upgrades are expected to sustain around 2,000 jobs over the next two years and will be delivered through the existing National Housing Prime contract.

Mr Wallace said: “Our armed forces work incredibly hard to keep our nation safe, and so it is only right that they have a place they feel proud to call home.

“From introducing a generous Forces Help to Buy scheme to piloting a new rented accommodation model, we have made enormous steps in recent years to offer flexible housing for a modern workforce. This latest investment will benefit thousands of our personnel and their families, providing the standard of living they deserve.”

Mr Sunak, whose Richmond constituency includes Catterick Garrison, said: “Day in, day out, our armed forces make huge personal sacrifices for our country, and it is our duty to ensure they have the best conditions possible.

“This news doesn’t just mean service homes across the country will be upgraded, but will see 2,000 jobs in sectors where they are needed the most, like plumbing and decorating - delivering our Plan for Jobs.”

The MoD said that £530 million has been invested in improvements to Service Family Accommodation over the last four years.The MoD said details on further areas to receive improvements are still being finalised.

Last year a watchdog said too many military personnel live in poor quality housing, despite the Ministry of Defence spending £135m on refurbishments.

A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report warned that without improvements the military risked undermining morale and losing highly skilled individuals.

It said satisfaction “only rose slightly”, despite the MoD refurbishing around 3,800 homes. PAC chairwoman Meg Hillier said: “Too many military service personnel find themselves in living quarters where the standard is simply not good enough.”

Catterick Garrison is one the North’s core sites and steps have been taken to turn it into a “super garrison”, with 50 per cent more troops.

The Army 2020 Refine project will see numbers of military personnel based at Catterick increase to around 8,400 by 2030 from the 5,700 previosuly there.

In 2018 Mr Sunak, while still a junior Minister, wrote to then-Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson urging him to unblock delays in the planning for the expansion. He said he was concerned about delays in the commissioning by the Ministry of Defence of an important assessment study into the full impact of the move.