Ministry of Defence
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New Facilities for Soldiers Build Opportunity for Civilian Homes
The MOD has announced that it will invest in better facilities for service men and women in Kent, as a result of freeing up surplus Defence land to create up to 1,200 new homes.
The proposal is for a scheme that re-configures Shorncliffe Garrison, Folkestone, onto a smaller, more secure site. This allows obsolete areas to be released for civilian homes development and contibutes to the Government’s Plan for Growth national housing strategy.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has worked with with Shepway District Council, to prepare a ‘Masterplan’ that provides new housing over the next 20 years on the surplus brownfield land.
Alongside the homes will be new community sports facilities, incorporating a new Army Cadet centre. There will also be a large area of informal public open space and improved education facilities.
has now confirmed that has now confirmed that Taylor Wimpey is the preferred bidder for developing the new homes as a sustainable expansion of Folkestone, after instructing property agents, GVA, to market the surplus land last year.
The sale of this land raises money for MOD to modernise the retained military estate, reducing running costs and saving money whilst providing the Armed Forces with first class working and living conditions.
Replacement facilities for the Army will start to be built this year as part of a rolling programme of improvements at Shorncliffe and nearby Lydd Camp.
These will include more than 100 en suite rooms for single service people. There will be modern office space for military and civilian staff, plus storage and training accommodation.
