Client

The £8 billion Allenby/Connaught project is the Ministry of Defence’s largest infrastructure Private Finance Initiative. Aspire Defence is delivering the project for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

We formed a Multi-Utility Joint Venture (MUJV) with Veolia to provide utility services for the project.

Challenge

The aim of the project is to make the lives of British soldiers better by rebuilding and refurbishing living and working accommodation for nearly 19,000 personnel. This includes the upgrade of power, gas and water infrastructure that dates back to the 1960s and earlier in army garrisons across Salisbury Plain and at Aldershot.

The project involves substantial maintenance challenges in the long-term provision of new and inherited water, waste-water, gas and electric networks for the on-site population.

Approach and innovation

MUJV bring a number of advantages to the project including certainty of delivery and cost, a single point of contact for all multi-utility aspects and transfer and management of utility risks.

Our team continues to provide the management, operation and maintenance of the existing and new utility infrastructure for the 35-year contract period through to 2041.

We are providing a full range of services in support of current initiatives. This includes assessing, replacing or bringing up to standard the electrical infrastructure.

Outcome

While our work for Project Allenby/Connaught requires hard engineering skills of the highest order, it also necessitates an understanding of the impact of these engineering decisions on stakeholders and the environment. Rebuilding the power infrastructure of four garrisons spread across Aldershot and Salisbury Plain has been a significant undertaking.

Delivery and collaboration

The project demanded a strong commitment to flexible working, with our systems interfacing with the Ministry of Defence, resulting with us able and willing to respond to changes in both work load and scope.

This has been carried out with minimal power interruptions or affecting the day-to-day operational life of the garrisons served.