DE completes new homes for 28 Engineer Regiment in Germany
2 Feb 10
Defence Estates has delivered the first phase of a new housing development to accommodate soldiers from 28 Engineer Regiment at Hameln in Germany.
The new Service Families Accommodation (SFA) built for 28 Engineer Regiment at Hameln in Germany.
[Picture: MOD/Crown Copyright 2010]
22 three-bedroom and six four-bedroom other ranks houses have been delivered so far, providing a major boost to the housing stock in the historic German town - famous as the home of the Pied Piper.
The new houses are part of the Hired Accommodation Revitalisation Programme (HARP) and are a practical example of the policy to move away from using flats for the provision of Service Famillies Accommodation (SFA) in Germany.
The project has taken five years to complete, largely due to the difficulty of finding a developer that would commit to such a high level of investment in a remote location. However, following the appointment of contractor Bavaria Immobilien GmbH, the houses were built within nine months. The new houses form part of a total housing stock of 418 SFA units in Hameln.
All of the new houses have en-suite facilities in the master bedrooms, full central heating and fitted kitchens. Built in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, there are solar panels fitted on the roofs to reduce energy consumption, with ample insulation incorporated in to the structures in order to cope with the German winters.
A kitchen in the new SFA at Hameln.
[Picture: MOD/Crown Copyright 2010]
Each house has its own garden, single garage and parking space and a children's play area will be included in the second phase of the development which will provide a further 28 houses to be completed by the end of this year.
The new development is situated towards the edge of the town and is bounded by a wooded stream giving the area the feel of a semi-rural location. Despite this, all the main shopping facilities are located within walking distance.
Lt Col John Cargill, (Retd), Housing and Community Support Officer, Hameln, said:
"This housing project is particularly welcome as the first new build of Service Family Accommodation houses in Hameln for many years. The very high grade houses will eventually provide particularly welcome accommodation for some 56 families with young children. They offer a major step upwards in the quality of housing and in the environment in which our families live."
A shower room in the new SFA at Hameln.
[Picture: MOD/Crown Copyright 2010]
Roger Morris, DE Project Manager said:
"This development has been successfully delivered on time because of the excellent working relationship that has been established during the course of the project between Defence Estates and the Developer, the Architect, the HCSO and the Estate Managers.
"Any issues that have arisen have been thrashed out at regular site meetings during the course of construction and lessons learned have been fed back to the architect for inclusion in the second phase of the development."