Construction has started on a new 50-bedroom Single Living Accommodation (SLA) block at RAF Cosford in Shropshire.  

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) awarded a £12 million contract to modular construction specialist Reds10 and the start of work was marked at a recent groundbreaking ceremony. The contract was awarded through the £1 billion Single Living Accommodation – Programmatic Approach framework alliance, which will see thousands of new bedspaces created for Armed Forces personnel. 

The accommodation will provide 50 en-suite bedrooms, as well as kitchenettes, communal space, equipment storage and laundry facilities. Sustainability has been central in the design of the block, featuring air source heat pumps for heating and hot water, photovoltaic panels and a SMART building management system to ensure optimal efficiency. While the project will not be the new SLA common design, lessons will continue to be learned from this and other projects to ensure the needs of service personnel are met, while also aiming to achieve the requirements of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy.  

This project will not only improve service life for personnel but will also benefit local businesses. Over £120,000 has already been spent with local suppliers and the project team will continue to maximise opportunities to support the local community as the project progresses.   

The project is one of the first to be delivered under the £1 billion SLA Alliance, which will run for six years and will see 16,000 new bedspaces built. It forms part of wider plans to build or refurbish 40,000 SLA bedspaces over the next 10 years, improving living conditions for service personnel.

Peter Shaw, Project Manager for DIO Major Programmes and Projects, said: 

I am very excited to see spades in the ground and construction officially starting on this project to improve accommodation for personnel based at RAF Cosford. We are looking forward to delivering this project as part of the SLA Programmatic Approach, which will ensure we can safely build consistent accommodation blocks faster, while also driving greater value for money.

Wing Commander Penny Brade, Station Commander at RAF Cosford, said:  

RAF Cosford has continued to grow in recent years. When complete, the new Officers’ Mess annex will have a hugely positive impact on those commissioned personnel living on the Station, and those who visit for courses and conferences.

Phil Cook, Managing Director – Defence for Reds10, said: 

We’re proud to be delivering the first project to complete under the SLA Alliance at RAF Cosford; a significant milestone in transforming how accommodation for service personnel is delivered across the MOD estate. By combining our expertise in industrialised construction with a strong, collaborative relationship with DIO, we’re helping to set a new benchmark for quality, sustainability and speed of delivery, ensuring those serving our country have the high-quality living environments they deserve. 

Construction is now underway at the site and is expected to be completed by July 2026.