DPRTE partner DIO opens new kitchen and dining facility at Cameron Barracks

February 3, 2021

Official DPRTE 2021 event partner, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), working with industry partner Landmarc Support Services and Highlands based contractor Compass Building and Construction Services, opened a new £2.3-million kitchen and dining facility at Cameron Barracks, a military training camp located on the eastern outskirts of Inverness in Scotland.

Cameron Barracks is a key site for exercising troops in the Scottish Highlands accommodating around 335 troops at one time, with additional day trainees also using the site. The kitchen and dining facilities can feed the whole camp within an hour.

The new facility replaces a temporary portacabin-style kitchen extension which was installed in the early 1990s. The new brick-built extension includes a repaint of the existing dining area, a complete internal refurbishment of the kitchen with brand-new catering equipment, additional storage areas and toilets for troops, and welfare facilities for kitchen staff.

The bricks and slate for the new facility were specially made to satisfy Local Planning Authority requirements because Cameron Barracks is a listed site, meaning it is of special architectural or historic interest. Bat boxes were also installed during construction because the Barracks is home to several bat roosts.

During the construction phase of the project as many as 35 tradespeople were on site, all managed in line with the Scottish Government’s guidance on safe working during the COVID pandemic. Materials and goods were also sourced locally where they were available.

Bob Phillips, DIO’s Regional Training Contract & Infrastructure Manager for the Scotland and Northern Ireland Training Estate, said: “DIO supports our armed forces by providing what they need to live, work and train.

“Cameron Barracks is considered by the Armed Forces as their gateway to the Scottish Highlands and has been categorised as a core site in ‘Army 2025’, the army’s plan for future capacity over the next 25 years. The location is essential for dealing with all priority military units’ pre-operational training. This new state-of-the-art kitchen and dining facility will enable us to support the activities of training troops for many years to come.”

Ronnie Shields, Project Manager, Landmarc Support Services said: “As DIO’s industry partner for the delivery of services across the National Defence Training Estate, we’re proud to have been part of a project that is helping to provide the best training experience for our armed forces. This is a superb facility that will significantly improve the welfare of troops using the camp to train.

“The project was delivered on time and under budget and was achieved by close partnership working with DIO and Compass building and construction services. The new facility has a DREAM Rating of ‘Excellent’ which we are extremely proud of.”