Army Reserve Centre undergoes £1.275 million refurbishment
DIO and the East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadet Association (EMRFCA) have just completed a £1.275 million refurbishment to the Army Reserve Centre in Clare Street, Northampton.
The drill hall after the renovations. Crown Copyright. Photo: Mark Adams.
The building, home to Headquarters Company and 118 Recovery Company of 104 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), required refurbishment to improve the operational and training capability of the battalion.
The work has included refurbishing offices, the conference room and officers’ and sergeants’ messes; converting rooms to provide additional offices; providing new classroom facilities; reflooring the drill hall and removing a false ceiling.
The building was Grade 2 listed in 1998, meaning that all work had to comply with relevant legislation and restrictions on appearance.
David Brookes, DIO’s Requirements Manager for the project, said:
The Clare Street premises required a significant overhaul to make them suitable for the requirements of 104 Battalion REME. As with any listed building, there were challenges involved in the work but the team worked very well to complete the project to a high standard and in keeping with the Grade 2 listing.
Clare Hill, EMRFCA Project Manager, said:
We’re really pleased with how the work at the Army Reserve Centre has turned out. The success of the project has required very close working between DIO and EMRFCA from the early stages and throughout and the quality of the end product is proof of how effective that relationship is.
The main contractors are B&K Property Services.