RAF Halton

Overview

RAF Halton, one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the UK, is the centre for recruit and airmen’s development training and hosts several independent units. As part of an £18 million phase of the RAF’s rationalisation programme, new facilities were required, including accommodation, training spaces, and recreational amenities, to modernise and improve the base.

The Challenge

This programme phase was complex in scope, encompassing new non-commissioned officers’ accommodation and mess facilities, the refurbishment of three barrack blocks, the conversion of hangars into classrooms, and the construction of a new sports pavilion and playing fields. Delivering these varied projects under different contract models required careful coordination of multiple teams and contractors, while also ensuring timely completion for operational readiness.

Our Approach

We led the end-to-end management of design, procurement, construction, and handover by:

• Consulting with the Project Sponsor to define and confirm the RAF’s requirements.

• Directing three multi-disciplinary design teams: one for barrack blocks and hangar conversions, one for NCO accommodation and mess facilities, and one for sports facilities.

• Procuring works by inviting tenders and administering four separate construction contracts under differing GCWorks1 forms (Design & Build for NCO facilities; traditional fixed-price for others).

• Managing contractor performance, monitoring progress, and negotiating the settlement of final accounts and claims.

The Outcome

All four contracts were successfully delivered within scope, cost, and schedule. The timely completion enabled the RAF to occupy modernised accommodation, enhanced training facilities, and new sports amenities, supporting the station’s critical role in recruit and airmen’s development.