Y o u a n d t h e R A F
Bring on A
fter the announcement seven years ago that Lyneham was to close, plans were immediately put into place to ensure that the C-130 Hercules
and the infrastructure to support it were able to transfer smoothly and effectively to Brize Norton. So where are we with this mammoth task? Helen Cooksley the programme’s Reporting and Communications Officer explains.
RAF Brize Norton is changing. Buildings are being erected, hangars designed and built, personnel are being moved around the station and the best use is being made of the available infrastructure. Not only is this all going on for the amalgamation of the two stations but also looking ahead at the arrival of two new aircraft fleets, the A400M and A330-200. Each service person requires a place to work, equipment to work with, stores to collect from, parking, a place to service vehicles and aircraft... The list is seemingly endless.
Project CATARA was originally established to cover the move but had limited focus and since March last year, Programme Future Brize has taken over the role and been expanded to include a wider focus on issues including training, design, personnel and family needs. 2,036 personnel will arrive from the Lyneham formed units between April 2011 and September 2012 with the remaining 545 personnel arriving no later than December 2012, the date Lyneham closes.
Much is being done to ensure the infrastructure is there for families. Programme Future Brize has submitted figures to Defence Estate (DE) (Housing) on the numbers of families arriving, and the team have
been in regular contact with local councils and schools to ensure places are available for the arriving children. Regular family meetings are held at both Lyneham and Brize to report progress.
DE have secured thirty-eight houses in Faringdon to cover some of the shortfall of Service Families Accommodation (SFA) A DE (Housing) master plan for the development of SFA at Brize Norton is on the table. Much of this new build would have had to happen irrespective of whether or not the two stations were being amalgamated and it is envisaged that building work for the new housing will begin during 2011 and be completed in 2016. Once the current housing stock is fully occupied, then local rental properties (Substitute Service Families Accommodation (SSFA)) will be found.
Sources of information on Programme Future Brize For updates on the programme go the RAF Brize Norton website at:
www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/aboutus/ programmefuturebrize or the RAF Lyneham website at
www.raf.mod.uk/raflyneham/newsletter. Here you will also find lists of local providers of childcare.
A family forum has been set up on RAFCOM www.rafcom.
co.uk/bulletin_board/index_bulletin_board and is a place where families can ask questions directly of the Programme Future Brize team.
A Programme Future Brize monthly Newsletter was launched in April10 and can be picked up from the HIVEs at Lyneham and Brize, Spar shops, Café’s. Information will also be placed in the Station magazines.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
Summer 2010
39
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