A SPECIAL tour to view the progress on the Army Basing Programme (ABP) was arranged for Wiltshire Council leaders last week.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook, OBE, leader of Wiltshire Council was joined by local community representatives to view the progress on construction of facilities both inside and outside “the wire” to accommodate the arrival of service personnel from Germany and other UK-based units to Wiltshire in 2019.

Wiltshire will be home to an additional 4,000 service personnel and approximately 1,300 families by this time with a total of 917 service family homes being provided in Ludgershall, Bulford and Larkhill.

To serve the new homes in Ludgershall, Bulford and Larkhill, work is well underway on creating two new schools and expanding existing ones to accommodate the young people needing places.

During the tour Baroness Scott and Tidworth Area Board members were shown the construction of new facilities for the Army inside the wire at Perham Down.

There was also an opportunity to view the 322 homes on the Ashdown Estate near Tedworth House, which has been delivered under the ABP to address legacy shortfalls in the local area and provides an idea of how the 917 homes will look.

Baroness Scott said: “This was an excellent opportunity to see the progress on the building of homes and facilities for the Army Basing Programme. The work is moving along fast and we look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners to ensure Wiltshire is ready to welcome Service personnel and benefit from the close association with the military.”

Major General Richard Wardlaw, director basing and infrastructure said: “We continue to enjoy close and collaborative relations with Wiltshire Council and the meeting with Baroness Scott and her team has been hugely successful. It was extremely satisfying to showcase the progress that has been made over the last year with the ongoing delivery of construction works ‘behind the wire’ and groundworks now underway for the provision of 917 houses, being delivered by our contractor Lovell, at three sites across Salisbury Plain Training Area.

"I look forward to continuing our strong and valued relationship with Baroness Scott and her team at Wiltshire Council.”

Allan Thomson, Chief Executive of Aspire Defence Limited which is the company delivering new and improved single living and working accommodation on garrisons for ABP, said: “We were delighted to welcome Baroness Scott and her senior team to view construction works at Perham Down, where we have a number of key assets under construction including single living accommodation, regimental headquarters and sports facilities. Our programme remains on track to deliver the infrastructure required for soldiers relocating to Salisbury Plain in 2019.”