Laing O’Rourke has won the job to deliver new army basic training facilities at Pirbright as part of the MoD’s £5.1bn defence estate optimisation programme.

Work will now start at Alexander Barracks in Surrey with phased delivery during coming years.

The project will deliver the infrastructure required to create a ‘centre of excellence’ for non-infantry basic training for the British Army, which is being co-located at Pirbright.

This will allow the closure of Sir John Moore Barracks in Winchester and Prince William of Gloucester Barracks in Grantham.

The new facilities will include: permanent staff and recruit single living accommodations; combined officer and senior non-commissioned officer mess facilities; a combined training centre and two headquarters offices.

Laing O”Rourke will also improve a medical and dental facility, a reception centre, guardhouse and tailors, and additional facilities for the army leadership studies centre.

In addition to the new facilities within the barracks, a new nursery situated outside the Barracks will be built to benefit service families and the local community.

Last year, Laing O’Rourke was one of seven firms to sign the MOD’s strategic alliance contract that will see it deliver important infrastructure work across the DEO Portfolio.

Martin Staehr, director of UK Building at Laing O’Rourke, said: “The Strategic Alliance approach represents best practice in terms of public sector procurement.

“It is highly efficient and enables vital collaboration on elements that are critical for successful delivery, such as standardisation of design.

“This 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.”