Guidance

Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio

DEO is the single biggest estates change programme within Defence, investing £5.1bn in modern, greener and more sustainable infrastructure.

• From: Ministry of Defence
• Published: 15 October 2020
• Last updated: 27 March 2026 — See all updates

Context and major investment projects

DEO was mobilised in late 2016 to contribute to the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review’s commitment to invest in key defence sites and meet future force structure requirements.

Projects range from military homes through to bespoke technical, combat and medical facilities, as well as cyber warfare and fast jet training infrastructure.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver meaningful benefit to the infrastructure our Armed Forces personnel live and work from.

DEO is delivering new and refurbished accommodation for over 27,000 military personnel and their families with work completed, or currently in construction on, 24 projects. Contracts continue to be placed for further development at sites across the UK.

In addition to housing, DEO is forecast to deliver over 200 hectares of biodiversity net-gain measures.

Site disposals

As part of the optimisation process, DEO is also releasing surplus government land that is no longer required for military use for alternative redevelopment in support of housing and business growth, and job creation.

DEO is on target to release enough surplus MOD land for over 32,000 new homes nationwide.

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

Related documents

• DEO Disposal Timeline 2026 (accessible version) (ODT, 6.79 KB)
• DEO Disposal Timeline 2026 (PDF, 219 KB, 1 page)
• SRO vision (PDF, 53 KB, 1 page)
• A Better Defence Estate
• Defence Disposal Database

Related news

• DEO wins for sustainable construction at the 33rd Sanctuary Awards
• 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
• Major refurb project delivers new conference centre for Aldershot Garrison

Published 15 October 2020

Last updated 27 March 2026 + show all updates

1. 27 March 2026

   The "Context and major investment projects" and "Site disposals" sections have been updated. The Investment map has been removed pending an update. The DEO Disposal timeline has been updated for 2026.

2. 17 October 2024

   Updated 'DEO Disposal Timeline 2024'.

3. 25 July 2024

   Added a news story to 'Related news'.

4. 20 March 2024

   Added a news story to 'Related news'.

5. 11 January 2024

   Updated information on DEO's investment projects and optimisation.

6. 7 December 2023

   Added latest news story under 'Related news' section.

7. 9 March 2023

   Added latest news story under 'Related news' section.

8. 28 February 2023

   Updated 'DEO Disposal Timeline 2023' and added latest news story.

9. 30 November 2022

   Webpage updated with most recent portfolio.

10. 25 November 2022

    Webpage content updated with most recent information about DEO.

11. 28 June 2022

    Addition of 'DEO disposal timeline 2022'.

12. 9 December 2021

    Added an updated version of the DEO Disposal Timeline.

13. 1 December 2021

    Updated: DEO Disposal Timeline 2021.

14. 29 April 2021

    Updated: DEO Disposal Timeline 2021 (updated April 2021).

15. 17 November 2020

    Updated the DEO Disposals Database documents with the latest amendments.

16. 15 October 2020

    First published.