New military accommodation block opens at Kineton

A new £14 million accommodation block has opened at Defence Munitions Kineton in Warwickshire, named in honour of an Ammunition Technician killed during operations in Iraq in 2003, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation has said.

The Muir Building was named after Staff Sergeant Chris Muir, who had served as an instructor at DM Kineton before deploying to Iraq. He was killed during an explosive ordnance disposal operation in 2003.

His son, Ben Muir, was invited to formally open the building and cut the ribbon in front of members of the family and former colleagues of SSgt Muir.

Ben Muir said: “It was a lovely surprise to hear that the building would be named after my Dad, so that his example will continue to inspire ammunition technical officers for years to come. It was a great pleasure to be here to officially open the new block.”

The new building contains 46 ensuite bedrooms intended for officers and senior non-commissioned officers, including two fully accessible rooms. It also provides kitchenettes, communal areas, laundry and utility rooms and a cycle store. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation led the project, with Algeco constructing the facility on behalf of VIVO, one of DIO’s built estate industry partners. The accommodation was produced using modular construction, with units manufactured away from Kineton before being transported to the site for assembly.

DIO said the approach reduced disruption at the base during construction while allowing the older accommodation it replaces to be removed from use.

Richard Walsh, DIO RD Central Project Delivery Manager, said: “Reaching handover is a fantastic achievement and marks the culmination of a huge amount of work from everyone involved in the project. The Muir Building provides modern, high-quality accommodation that will significantly improve the lived experience of personnel based at DM Kineton for many years to come.

“By replacing older accommodation that had reached the end of its useful life, we have delivered a sustainable and cost-effective solution that meets the needs of today’s Armed Forces while also supporting future generations of personnel.”

The building incorporates solar panels to generate electricity and air source heat pumps for heating. Water recovered from sink drainage is also reused at boot-washing stations, while additional trees have been planted around the development.

Lt Col Chris Ralling, Head of Establishment at DM Kineton, said: “The Muir Building was named in honour of one of our colleagues who tragically died on operations so it was a great pleasure to be joined by his family to open the building. The new block will provide fantastic, sustainable accommodation to 46 personnel on site, as well as comfortable communal areas, cooking facilities and more – a fitting tribute to a much-loved colleague.”

The first personnel are due to move into the Muir Building in early September.