LONDON, March 27 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

* 265brand newforceshomes,flatsand bungalowsto bebuilt at RAF Brize Norton. * 2,000moremilitaryproperties to be modernisedin the next 12 monthsalone. * Thousands ofservice family homestobe refurbishedor rebuiltas part of a decade-long transformation.

Enabling works arenowunderway on 265 new-build military familypropertiesatRAF BrizeNorton, Oxfordshire - the first such MODdevelopment since 2017.Council planners have given the green light to the scheme, which willseea range of flats, housesand bungalows built on land at Cartertonnear theair base, paving the way for construction to start in the coming weeks.  

In addition, across the UK,2,000 moremilitaryproperties will be modernisedin thenextfinancialyearalone. The Government is delivering on its commitment to fix the dire state of forces family housing, buildingon the1,250worst-conditionpropertiesalreadybrought up to standard.

Ministers are determined to deliver at pace as British personnel and their families continue to make extraordinary sacrifices to keep Britain safe - including working round the clock on the crisis in the Middle East. Better housing is a key part of this Government's promise to renew the nation's commitment to those who serve, and a key factor in fixing Armed Forces recruitment and retention.

Thisworkisa steptowardswidened access for familiestowhicha military homewas not previously available,and1,000 such families will begiven the keys to a defence house this year.

Building new houses and bringing back online previously unavailablehomes arepart ofthe bricksand mortar-led approach to widening access to housing setout in thegovernment'sDefence Housing Strategy. Intime this will be accompanied by an interim rental allowance which will accelerate widened access for thosemilitaryfamilies whose needs cannot be met in a particular location, while capacity on the estate increases.           

Backed by £9 billion over the next decade, the Defence Housing Strategy is a major step forward in delivering the government's pledge to provide high-quality housing for the ArmedForces. It represents the most significant transformation of UK military housing in over 50 years, with more than 40,000 service family homes to be modernised, refurbished or rebuilt.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

At a time of greater global uncertainty, when we're asking more of our Forces and their families, a decent home has never mattered more.

Housing is at the heart of all of our lives. And after years of neglect, the new development at Brize Norton demonstrates delivery on our overhaul of military housing.

I am determined that British military families will get homes they can be proud of, as we renew our nation's contract with those who serve.

The new homes at Brize Norton follow the government's landmark deal to bring 36,000 homes back into public ownership.That deal has allowed a generational overhaul of Armed Forces housing and is saving the taxpayer £600,000 per day in rent no longer needing to be paid.

Natalie Elphicke-Ross OBE, Chair of the Defence Housing Strategy Review team said: 

This exciting new development at Brize Norton shows that the new Defence Housing Strategy is hitting the ground running. A further 2,000 Defence family homes are set to be upgraded and modernised over the coming year.

Making sure that military families have a warm, safe, modern, comfortable home is central to our plan for a generational change to military housing.

Following the successful achievement of its Consumer Charter pledges last year,the MODis delivering on its promise to put families at the heart of itsplans for housing, including through a new family-focused committee. The committee is made up of representatives from across the Armed Forces and Families Federations and gives families an influential voice at every level of Defence housing decision-making.  

The work is underpinned by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027, and the UK defence budget will total £270 billion across this Parliament alone.

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.