LONDON, July 31 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
The first of 138 new homes for armed forces personnel and their families have been completed and handed over at Dhekelia Station in Cyprus.
The first phase of the projectis now complete, with the delivery of 46 new Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties in the EasternSovereign Base Area.
The homes have been delivered through the APOLLOprogramme, a joint initiative between theDefenceInfrastructure Organisation (DIO) and Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC).Theprogrammeaims to enhance the resilience of critical UKdefenceassets in Cyprus while ensuring infrastructure meets modern building standards and supportscontemporaryways of working.
The first 46 homes have officially been handed over to Dhekelia Station Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Wildish, with families expected to move into the properties shortly.
A £48 million contract was awarded to the Lagan Iacovou Joint Venture in2023, andwill see a total of 138 three- and four-bedroom homes builtfor Service personnel and their families in the area.
Designed specifically for the environment of Cyprus, the homes incorporate measures to improve resilience against seismic activity. Cyprus sits within an area of known earthquake risk, and safeguards against earthquakes have been built into the homes' design and construction.
The properties have also been designed withService families in mind, with comfort-cooling measures in place to help families cope with Cyprus' high summer temperatures. Sustainability featuresincludingsolar panels, air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points are also included, helping reduce energy consumption and lower household costs.
Simon Oxley, DIO Project Manager,said:
Seeing the first families move into these homes will be a significant milestone for everyone involved in this project. These modern, energy-efficient properties will provide high-quality accommodation for Service personnel and their families for many years to come.
The completion of this first phase demonstrates the strong partnership between DIO, CSOC and our industry partners. It is an important step in the APOLLOprogramme, which is delivering long-term investment across theDefenceestate in Cyprus,improving both the lived experience of Service families and the resilience of criticalDefenceinfrastructure.
CSOC Deputy Head Infra Delivery, Tracey Fuoco, said:
I am very pleased the project has now reached the milestone of handing over the tranche of new homes. I'm conscious this has been possible due to the hard work of the whole project team, and I thank all those involved for their continued commitment to delivering the new homes for Service families in Dhekelia.
Luke Carolan, Project Director for Lagan Iacovou JV, said:
It is a privilege to be delivering such high-quality homes for the British Forces personnel and their families, who will soon call the development their home.
This achievement reflects the outstanding teamwork and dedication of everyone involved in the project including all our site teams, subcontractors and supply chain partners. I'd like to thank the DIO and CSOC client teams, as well as the Station staff, for their collaborative and professional approach throughout the project so far.
The APOLLO programme is a 10-year investment programme that will modernise significant parts of the British Forces Cyprus and Sovereign Base Areas estate, including operational infrastructure and Service Family Accommodation across Episkopi, Akrotiri, Dhekelia andAyiosNikolaos.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
