Sub sailors closer to home at HMNB Clyde

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Work at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde is underway, which will see the base become the home of the entire UK Submarine Service.

Recent work has seen the refurbishment of 34 service family homes in Helensburgh, helping to improve the lives of Royal Navy families already living in the area, as well as some of the hundreds of families expected to move to the vicinity when the base becomes the Submarine Centre of Specialisation.

The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) led the £1.5M refurbishment at Bannachra Drive in Helensburgh, together with Amey and contractor Bells Ltd.

The extensive upgrade work 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.

From 2020 HM Naval Base 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.

In February 2017 the Naval Base, UK government and local authority Argyll and Bute signed a unique agreement committing the parties to work together to ensure that investment in the military site benefited the growth and regeneration of the wider community. The Strategic Defence Delivery Framework agreement, as it is known, is aimed at delivering new housing and improved infrastructure, ensuring that both the Service community and people living in Argyll and Bute benefit directly from hosting the base.

Commenting on the work, Air Commodore Rothery said: “The refurbishment of these houses is a prime example of how DIO provides vital support to the Armed Forces. This upgrade work will make a real difference to the quality of life of our Royal Navy personnel and their families. We are grateful to all the residents for their patience with the inevitable disruption caused by the work, and we hope they are very happy with the results.”

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