Military homes to be renovated in 9bn government plan

"The Ministry of Defence's new housing strategy will see improvements made to almost all of its 47,700 homes for military families in what Defence Secretary John Healey said will be the "biggest renewal of Armed Forces housing in more than 50 years". The plan is in response to consistent complaints from serving personnel about the state of their accommodation. In 2022, dozens of members and their families told the BBC they were having to live in damp, mould-infested housing without heating."

"A Commons defence committee last year found two-thirds of homes for service families needed "extensive refurbishment or rebuilding" to meet modern standards. Under the new strategy, service family accommodation (SFA) will be refurbished with new kitchens, bathrooms and heating systems. About 14,000 will receive either "substantial refurbishment" or be completely replaced. The plans are part of the government's wider defence housing strategy, to be published on Monday."

"The government says it has also identified surplus MoD land which could be used to build 100,000 new homes for civilian and military families. Healey said: "This is a new chapter - a decisive break from decades of underinvestment, with a building programme to back Britain's military families and drive economic growth across the country." Almost three years ago, the BBC was contacted by families in military accommodation in Sandhurst who had been living without heating for days."

The Ministry of Defence will modernise, refurbish or rebuild almost all of its 47,700 service family homes through a £9bn housing strategy over the next decade. About 14,000 properties will receive substantial refurbishment or be completely replaced; many homes will get new kitchens, bathrooms and heating systems. The move follows persistent complaints about damp, mould and lack of heating, and a Commons committee finding that two-thirds of service family homes required extensive refurbishment or rebuilding. The government has already allocated £4bn and identified surplus MoD land to build up to 100,000 civilian and military homes.

Read at www.bbc.com