Laing O’Rourke lands job to revamp Surrey army barracks under £5bn MoD estate overhaul

Laing O’Rourke has signed a contract to build new facilities at an army barracks in Surrey as part of a £5bn upgrade programme being carried out by the Ministry of Defence.The country’s biggest private contractor has been tasked with creating a ‘centre of excellence’ for non-infantry basic training for the British Army, which is being co-located at Pirbright under the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Army Programme.The DEO Army Programme makes up the largest share of a £5.1bn deal called the DEO Portfolio deal.Laing O’Rourke’s project means two other barracks, the Sir John Moore Barracks in Winchester, Hampshire, and Prince William of Gloucester Barracks in Grantham, Lincolnshire, will be closed.>>> See also Industry should look in the mirror: Laing O’Rourke’s losses do no one any goodMartin Staehr, director of UK Building at Laing O’Rourke, said: “[The deal] means we can fully deploy our manufacturing led operating model and use modern methods of construction to improve programme, quality, sustainability outcomes and worker safety.”The scheme at Pirbright will include accommodation, a training centre, headquarters offices, reception centre, nursey and medical facilities.O’Rourke, which formally starts work on the scheme this month, was one of seven firms to sign a strategic alliance contract with the MoD last spring for a 10-year programme of works to reform the defence estate.Others on the list include ISG, Morgan Sindall and Kier.