Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio

ContextAbout DEO

Defence Estate Optimisation is the single biggest estates change programme within Defence, bringing together an ambitious portfolio of interdependent programmes, construction activity, unit and majorpersonnel investmentmoves, projectsand land release.

DEOIt will invest £5.1bn in a better-structured, modern and more sustainable estate that improves security, resilience, and military capability.

The portfolio was first mobilised in late 2016 to implement the MOD’s Footprint Strategy (FS) to contribute to the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review’s (SDSR) commitment to invest in key defence sites and meetreduce futurethe forcedepartment’s structurebuilt requirements.estate.

Major investment projects

DEO will thereforedeliver the infrastructure needed to support defence people and core military capabilities. It will enable centres of military expertise by co-locating units to improve the effectiveness of their training, and longer-term basing plans, while also providing new and refurbished accommodation and facilities for service personnel and their families.

Major projects include the infrastructure for the Army’s new structure under Future Soldier, RAF Officer and recruit training, as well as the new home for the Red Arrows.

DEO will is also deliveringinvest newin andover refurbished16,000 militarynew accommodation and housingrefurbished forservice overfamily 40,000homes soldiers, airmen, sailors and theirsingle families.

Additionally,living itaccommodation willunits, provide contemporary office space for over 14,900 people, 101 specialist military facilities including workshops, garages, medical, dental and sports amenities,amenities and education and training facilities for over 49,00050,000 people.

Construction ishas underwaynow orcompleted hasat completedfive onDefence 14sites projectsand new facilities are under construction at six more, with contracts placed for further development at sites across the UK.

Site disposals

As part of the optimisation process, defence will dispose of sites that are no longer requiredsuitable for military userequirements. This is a natural by-product of the enhancement of the defence estate as unitswe moveprovide tothe moreinfrastructure purpose-builtneeded facilities.by a modern expeditionary force.

Disposing of these sites create exciting opportunities for alternative use, resulting in regeneration, business growth and job creation within the local area. To date, date, DEO has releasedhas overdisposed 1,430of 771 hectares of surplus Defencemiliary land for both commercial and residential developmentdevelopment. atThis 25has sites.since been repurposed in a number of ways including a boutique hotel, a school and a film studio, as well as green open space, commercial use and plans for over 6,500 new homes.

Full details of the sites identified for disposal can be found in the related documents.

Related documents

• DEO Disposal Timeline 2023 (accessible version) (ODT, 7.59 KB)
• DEO Disposal Timeline 2023 (PDF, 117 KB, 1 page)
• DEO Investment map (PDF, 720 KB, 1 page)
• SRO vision (PDF, 53 KB, 1 page)
• A Better Defence Estate
• Defence Disposal Database

Related news

• MOD signs infrastructure contracts at RAF Waddington – the new home of the Red Arrows
• Approval granted for 1,300 new homes in Ripon
• Royal Army Chaplains’ Museum attracts global visitors
• Construction begins on DIO’s new Whittington headquarters
• Defence Secretary announced five-year plan for key military sites