Willmott Dixon has been tasked with completing a £61 million estate investment project for the British Army in Rutland.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has selected Willmott Dixon to carry out a £61m estate investment for the British Army at Kendrew Barracks in Rutland. Procured through the Crown Commercial Service framework, Willmott Dixon will provide technical infrastructure to facilitate the relocation of 18 Army Education Centre and 1 Military Working Dogs from St George’s Barracks to Kendrew Barracks. This initiative will involve constructing 15 buildings – 11 of which will be new and four will be refurbished or retrofitted – and will allow for the disposal of St George’s Barracks as planned for 2026. The development will include 13,000 sq m of space, with 110m of hangars being refurbished. The facilities will feature 173 new kennels for various purposes, a vet center, training facilities, squadron offices and stores, a gym, and the repurposing of hangar B as the Regimental Headquarters and Quartermaster stores. Willmott Dixon’s director, Nick Heath, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to national defense by enhancing the estate’s facilities at Kendrew Barracks. He emphasized the company’s experience in dealing with operational challenges on live barracks sites and stressed the commitment to meeting high standards through the use of DREAM – an environmental assessment tool – and aiming for net-zero carbon in operation. Belinda Lunn, Senior Responsible Owner Army Basing Project Kendrew, shared her excitement for the progress of the Kendrew Barracks project, highlighting its role in rationalizing the Defence estate and providing essential infrastructure for the Army, including the Military Working Dogs capability. The project, which also involves architect Corstorphine + Wright, is expected to be completed by December 2025.