New accommodation for top NSW military bases

Published 23 October 2013

KAPOOKA, NEW SOUTH WALES – Plenary Living today celebrated the official opening of its Single LEAP 2 Defence accommodation sites at RAAF Base Wagga at Wagga Wagga and Blamey Barracks at Kapooka.

Both sites were officially opened by Colonel David Hay at a ribbon cutting ceremony held at Blamey Barracks.

The two sites combined have a capital value of approximately $35 million and provide 140 residential units for Army and Air Force personnel required to live on base; 90 at Blamey Barracks and 50 at RAAF Base Wagga.

The new facilities are part of Plenary Living’s $900 million Single LEAP 2 public private partnership (PPP) with the Department of Defence. The project involves the delivery of over 3,000 live-in residential accommodation units across all Australian mainland states and territories.

Speaking at the opening ceremony Plenary Living Project Director, Phil Dark, said that the Single LEAP 2 PPP comprises a total 17 accommodation sites across 14 bases.

“The Single LEAP 2 project now has 12 sites in operation under the management of Plenary Living through its facilities management partner ESS.

“Over the coming months Plenary Living will complete and transition additional residential units to operations at a further five sites, with the final site due for completion in February 2014,” Mr Dark said.

The studio-style units at the Wagga and Kapooka sites contain a combined living and bedroom area each with its own ensuite bathroom, kitchenette and private balcony.

Both sites also include a communal recreational pavilion, BBQ facilities and a half basketball court, and amenities including carwash bays at Wagga and a trailer/boat parking compound at Kapooka.

The Single LEAP 2 facilities at Wagga and Kapooka were built by Richard Crookes Constructions. Work commenced on the sites in April 2012 with a combined 130 full time equivalent roles created during the construction term.

Approximately 60 per cent of subcontractors were sourced from Wagga Wagga and the surrounding Riverina region, and around 70 per cent of workers were locals.

Richard Crookes Constructions’ other Single LEAP 2 sites include a 170-unit facility at HMAS Albatross in Nowra and 50 units at Bandiana in Victoria, both of which are now in operation.

The transition of the facilities at Wagga and Kapooka into operation brings the number of residential units under Plenary Living’s management (on behalf of Defence) to approximately 4,000, including around 1,400 from Single LEAP 1.

SINGLE LEAP 2 FAST FACTS:

The Single LEAP 2 PPP supports the ongoing recruitment and retention of high quality young people in the Australian Defence Forces. 
This new and contemporary on-site accommodation will significantly boost the operations of these world class training bases; RAAF Base Wagga as a Royal Australian Air Force technical training facility and Kapooka as the home of Army’s Recruit Training Centre.

Blamey Barracks, Kapooka 
Capital value: $22 million
Number of units: 90
Number of workers during construction: Approximately 850, including 70 full time equivalent roles

RAAF Base Wagga, Wagga Wagga
Capital value: $13 million
Number of units: 50 
Number of workers during construction: Approximately 550, including 60 full time equivalent roles

Executive Director, Communications
+61 3 8888 7754
+61 418 530 806
chris.whitefield@plenary.com