NEARLY 1,000 homes for service personnel and their families will be built across Salisbury Plain, including in Ludgershall and Bulford, after the government announced a £250 million investment plan.

The 917 new homes, which will be built by British construction company Lovell, will offer modern three and four bedroom accommodation, as well as a number of bungalows and adapted homes for families with specific needs, such as wheelchair access.

Work on the new homes, which are being built under the Army Basing Programme (ABP), is expected to be completed in May 2020.

The new homes, being built in Bulford, Larkhill and Ludgershall will support service personnel and their families relocating from Germany in 2019 and also units moving within the UK.

Defence secretary Gavin Williamson said: “This considerable investment in nearly 1,000 new homes is a reflection of our commitment to supporting Armed Forces families. Service families make an immense contribution to our country and I’m delighted to announce this £250 million funding for new homes to welcome our troops relocating from Germany.”

Pre-construction work on the project has already begun, including off-site highways to facilitate access to the new homes.

The £250 million investment comes alongside a further £90 million in road and utility improvements in support of the three developments. £1.1 billion has already pledged to the Salisbury Plain area for living and working accommodation ‘behind the wire’ including 2,500 bed spaces for single soldiers and the construction, conversion or refurbishment of nearly 250 other buildings such as offices, garages, workshops and mess facilities.

The project is expected to create a significant number of jobs in Hampshire and Wiltshire, as well as training opportunities, including apprenticeships, as up to 700 construction workers are set to be on site at the peak of the development.

Construction is set to start in early 2018 after Lovell’s completion of pre-commencement works, including the creation of new roads and other infrastructure, which began in spring this year.

The Army is also working with Wiltshire Council to ensure the soldiers and their families have access to all of the services they need, including education and health facilities.