Ministry of Defence awards £140m contract for three Edinburgh area army sites
The Ministry of Defence has granted a £142.1 million contract to improve living, working and training facilities at Edinburgh army sites
The UK government has announced nearly £150 million to renew three army sites in the Edinburgh area.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has granted a £142.1m contract to improve living, working and training facilities at Dreghorn Barracks, Glencorse Barracks in Penicuik and Colinton Road Reserve Centre.
The work has been given to GRAHAM Building and is being delivered under the £5.1 billion Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio.
Belinda Lunn, DEO Army programme director, said: "This investment in new and improved military infrastructure in Edinburgh will deliver significant and long-lasting benefits for the Army. The project will provide a wide range of modern, fit-for-purpose facilities that support operational capability and enhance the environments in which personnel live, work and train."
The DEO Army project will involve GRAHAM Building delivering a combination of new buildings and refurbished assets across all three sites.
At Dreghorn Barracks, the scope of works includes new single living accommodation (SLA) and training facilities alongside an armoury, garages and a new band facility, as well as refurbished offices and stores.
New SLA, offices, stores and an armoury are planned at Glencorse Barracks alongside a pony stable and paddock. Investment in Colinton Road Reserve Centre is set to provide a new guard house, as well as catering, garaging, stores and offices.
Warren Webster, major programmes and projects programme director for the Army, said: “The award of this contract marks the start of a programme of significant investment and improvement to the Army’s sites in Edinburgh. Once complete, these projects will improve the living, working and training environment for our soldiers based at these sites and we’re excited to get started.”
Chris MacLeod, regional director at GRAHAM Building said: “As a proud and experienced partner of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, we are honoured to anticipate the commencement of the Edinburgh Garrison redevelopment and modernisation. This timely project, announced within the month of Remembrance, pays tribute to the unwavering dedication and sacrifices of our armed forces, transforming a storied military site into a modern legacy that honours their service while fostering resilience for generations to come.”
Construction is scheduled to start in early 2027, following ongoing design and development work.
Dreghorn Barracks was built in the late 1930s and was upgraded in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
As of the start of last year, 670 UK Armed Forces personnel were based at the facility. The barracks is at the southern edge of the city, adjacent to the bypass and south of Colinton.
Glencorse Barracks in Midlothian has been in use since 1803. It has been the home of the Royal Highland Fusiliers since 2006 and has been used by the Army for roughly 150 years.
As of January 1 last year, there were 480 UK Armed Forces Service personnel based at the barracks.
The site underwent a £60m revamp in the early 2000s. In 2016, the UK government had announced it would be closed by 2032, However, UK ministers U-turned in November 2021 and pledged significant investment in the Army estate in Scotland.
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