HM Naval Base Clyde accommodation project reaches key milestone

The panels, weighing between ten and eighteen tonnes and spanning three to five metres, will form four new accommodation blocks, including two designed explicitly for submariner trainees. The £166 million project, delivered in partnership with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), is part of the Clyde Infrastructure Programme, ensuring the Naval Base is ready to support the next generation of Dreadnought Class deterrent submarines.

Since planning permission and final funding were approved just a year ago, KGD has driven rapid on-site progress, utilising prefabricated construction techniques to expedite installation, reduce the workforce required, and minimise material waste, all while maintaining the highest standards of quality and sustainability.

KGD contracts manager Peter Brady joined representatives from DIO for the milestone, alongside Captain of HMS Neptune, Captain Elaine Boyd, Base Warrant Officer WO1 Keith McEwen, and Barrackmaster WO1 Wayne Burbury MBE of the Royal Navy.

Chris MacLeod, regional director at GRAHAM Building, said: “The new single living accommodation is being delivered as part of our longstanding partnership with DIO and we are delighted with the pace and efficiency of operations due to the expertise of our site teams and modern methods of construction which include a system of prefabricated off-site panels.”

The trainee blocks are scheduled to be completed and brought online in late 2026, with the remaining two SLA blocks scheduled to open in early 2027.

DIO’s director of nuclear infrastructure, Dan Ross, said: “Working closely with our supply chain partner Kier GRAHAM Defence, the DIO Nuclear Infrastructure team used innovative and modern methods of construction to deliver quality living accommodation at pace for Navy personnel.

“The pace of progress we’ve achieved is testament to genuine collaboration – when the Royal Navy, DIO and our supply chain partners work as one integrated team, we can deliver transformational infrastructure that truly serves our Armed Forces.”

For more than 50 years, HM Naval Base Clyde has supported the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent. Kier GRAHAM Defence’s work on the SLA ensures the base is equipped with modern, high-quality accommodation, supporting the operational readiness and wellbeing of the personnel who serve there.