Trainee submariners at HM Naval Base Clyde have been given their first look at the Royal Navy’s new single living accommodation, part of a £166 million infrastructure project designed to modernise life at the home of the Submarine Service, according to the Royal Navy.
The development includes three new accommodation blocks, with the first set to open in 2026 for students undertaking the Submarine Qualifying Course (SMQ). The base showcased a demonstration cabin on 14 October to give trainees a sense of the facilities being built under the Clyde Infrastructure Programme.
Able Seaman Ben Walker, a trainee submariner currently enrolled on the SMQ course, said in the Royal Navy news update that “the new design for the rooms is nice, very modern and looks quite comfortable. It is good that there will be communal areas instead of just a bedroom and the private desk space will be useful when you need peace and quiet to study.” He added that “the new accommodation spaces look great and I’m sure that future trainees will enjoy their time there.”
The previewed design includes modern furniture, ensuite bathrooms, built-in storage, and work areas. Each room will feature Wi-Fi access and USB charging ports, while shared spaces will offer kitchen facilities and lounge areas. The new blocks are designed to house up to 630 personnel and are located near the base’s submarine training facilities, reducing transit times between living quarters and classrooms.
Rear Admiral Jude Terry CB OBE, the Royal Navy’s Director of People and Training, said in the news update that “this £166 million investment underscores our commitment to improving the quality of life for our submariners. This example cabin today brings to life the modern, comfortable, and practical living spaces that will soon support our personnel. These facilities are a testament to our dedication to ensuring our people have the best possible environment to thrive in the Submarine Service.”
The new accommodation is being delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and Kier Graham Defence (KGD) as part of a wider redevelopment effort at Clyde.
So that’s £55,000,000 for each 200 person block then, £275000 per person?
yes but these rooms include Wi-Fi access and USB charging points, plus the contractor needs a new mansion.
at least it’s a bargain compared to the €1.5 billion the Marine Nationale is paying to upgrade Toulon port docks for the PANG (next gen carrier).
TBH the €1.5Bn to increase the dock size for PANG doesn’t seem that crazy to me as a contractor.
The concrete and rebar suppliers are totally taking the mick out of the European market with pricing.
to be fair, it’s not just a dock size increase but a new extention that will include a bridge connecting to naval base, 2x 400m docks and a dry dock as well as a lot of dredging because Toulon is too shallow for a ship this large. (Why US carriers have been using Marseille on visits up to now)
Indeed.
I see that as quite good value for a huge package of civils.
In the UK that would be 4x as much.
FYI there is a very good article in Mer et Marine dated 25/0/2025 which covers this.
* 25/09/2025
£££ per person agreed. Already on mod land so no land purchase. No resale value unlike if had bought private properties. Perhaps it’s got facilities: gym cafe like a student campus but not mentioned apart from study area. My son going through uni and these places have become quite sterile with self closing fire doors and long white corridors, card access doors, uniform small bedroom.
The 166M is for accommodation upgrading and new build across the entire Faslane estate. These new blocks are just part of the investment. I served for 18 months at Faslane back in 2011-2013. A lot of the accommodation back then was pretty good. But some was awful. Surprisingly. The wardroom accommodation was the worst.
Don’t you regulars ever read the details properly? It’s “part of a £166 million infrastructure project…”.
Please note the word “PART”. Hope that’s clear enough now.
Don’t you regulars ever read the details properly? It’s “part of a £166 million infrastructure project…”.
Please note the word PART. Hope that’s clear enough now.
Hello brand new “non regular” It’s good to see you do not regularly appear here as a regular, or maybe you do but just used a brand new namew ?
Oh and yes, your two posts are clear enough, one probably would have sufficed.
He is just trying to become a regular – at pace?
It’s the Irony of his comment !!!.
To be fair though, the Headline does mislead, that’s quite often the case here and it does say a bit more in the write up but it’s still a bit confused.
“PART”? Noted
It would nice if more details of the overall infrastructure project were outlined as well.
Give it couple of years and these one person cabins will gave bunk beds in. Then if they are really lucky you might be able to squeeze 3 in there.
“Starmer Homes PLC”
Specialists in Hotel Accomodation and Hospitality !
Free Wi-fi, free USB Charging, Free Black Uniform, Free iPhone, 4 square meals a day plus spending money, friends and family discount for long stays.
Special Members deals – Buy one, get a second home for half price. Free Stamp Duty for a ltd period.
You cynic you😂😂
Given that we’re had put to be a submarine to sea, or under it, the accommodation is probably very welcome.
This is for trainees.
But anything that increases retention is for the good.
The accom standards used to be terrible.
Just a bit of irony SB…
That’s a lot of trainees given the numbers of boats and also given the number of boats at sea, which is and has been woefull.
Part of the issues around retention are too few people worked too hard.
Any sensible business analysis will have shown the absolute cost of the skills loss so actually recruiting more on the lower rungs is the way to go.
Also I suspect hulls will be double crewed going forwards to get more utilisation out of them….assumes there is a spares pipeline to match…
Let’s hope so.
My comment was (as per normal) more targeted at the basic numbers, which are too easily overlooked. 600 trainees in this place alone when we can barely send two boats out, that’s a lot of people in the short pipeline.
Some of them won’t make the cut…
Good to see infrastructure of any kind updated, replaced, or modernised.
But the costs never fail to horrify me. So 3 blocks of flats, in effect?
Anything done in a secure area costs more.
Fact of construction.
Subbies will turn up at the gate with the right pass, get pissed off, go home and then may not come back.
A lot of construction is like running a kindergarten: the guys are easily annoyed but expect to be very well remunerated for quite short days. Hopefully that changes with the present massive construction recession – I doubt it as they will just get other jobs.
Thanks. I kniw you’ve commented often regards this area, so you have experience.
Do other nations pay that amount? Is this one example where we seemingly get so little for our huge budget?
All UK construction is hugely expensive.
Inefficiency is baked in with a very poor workforce – we have a good few gems but we have been going for 20 years – a horrendous H&S environment with utterly incompetent H&S advisors coupled with a clueless HSE – terrible professionals [architects, engineers, surveyors the worst being QSs] who are most OoS or just arse covering and blaming the contractor – a useless legal system that admires itself in the mirror but achieves little except over rewarding itself for its failure – clients who don’t trust any of the parties.
Often it is totally impossible to do the right thing by the client.
It is a shocking environment to work in with lots of aggression to add to the universally useless ‘professionals’ – the poor contractor tries to get a long.
I own a company that digs huge holes in the ground. I own part of one that puts up industrial buildings. So yes I know the area intimately.
The irony is that contractors get the poorest margins compared to the surrounding clown show because of the clown show.
Thought so..
So, you on construction, Jonathan covers health and geopolitical strategy, we’re well on the way with the UKDJ Party.
Pushing the message that women can serve in the Silent Service too now with that photo.
As with every BBC news article, there are strong visuals being applied across every medea source.
It’s only those of us who question that see where It’s all going.
Compare this pic with the recent one of HMS Vanguard returning for detail.
Happy ladies vs exhausted, worn out men.
We need every man and women we can get mate for the silent service.
Absolutely, so it seems clear why the feminine side was pushed.
As long as they can do a job I have no issues with women in the forces, they’re needed.