New Nowra Navy accommodation a first in 40 years

NOWRA, NEW SOUTH WALES – Plenary Living has completed its new Australian Navy accommodation facility at HMAS Albatross at Nowra, marking the base’s first major residential construction project in over 40 years.

Officially opened yesterday by Commanding Officer Gordon Andrew, the facility comprises 170 single living units for Australian Navy personnel and amenities including a recreation pavilion, half basketball court and BBQ areas.

Completed in the base’s 65th anniversary year, the $35 million facility was project managed and financed by Plenary Living and built by construction firm Richard Crookes Constructions as part of the Single LEAP 2 Public Private Partnership (PPP) project with the Department of Defence.

The $900 million Single LEAP 2 PPP has seen Plenary Group partner with a consortium of local builders to deliver more than 3,000 accommodation units at 14 military bases across all Australian mainland states and territories.

Under the agreement with Defence, Plenary will also operate and maintain the facilities for a 30 year term with partner Compass Group Pty Ltd.

Plenary Group Chief Operating Officer Glenn Hay said that residents had started moving into the new Single LEAP 2 facility, which is the first major upgrade of living in accommodation at HMAS Albatross in over 40 years.

“It’s exciting to make another Single LEAP 2 facility available to Defence,” Mr Hay said. “Plenary is pleased to have delivered on time and on budget what is the first major residential construction project on base in decades.”

Mr Hay said that Plenary had already seen the positive impacts of the Single LEAP 2 facilities at other bases where new communities had been created, providing personnel with a comfortable and enjoyable home away from home.

“I have no doubt that our contemporary accommodation and recreational amenities will be a significant lift to morale for those personnel posted to HMAS Albatross in the future.”

Senior Project Manager at Richard Crookes Constructions, Simon Karkkainen, said he was pleased to be involved in such a challenging and significant project for Defence.

“It is thanks to our professional and committed team that we were able to deliver this fantastic Defence facility at HMAS Albatross on program, despite some very challenging latent site conditions,” Mr Karkkainen said.

Richard Crookes Constructions is delivering four Single LEAP 2 sites including the 170-unit facility at HMAS Albatross. The other RCC sites are RAAF Base Wagga (50 units), Gaza Ridge Barracks at Bandiana (50 units) and Blamey Barracks at Kapooka (90 units).

“This program of work has not only strengthened our company’s Defence project portfolio but has demonstrated our ability to deliver these works spanning four geographical locations in an efficient and collaborative way,” Mr Karkkainen said.

The Single LEAP 2 site at HMAS Albatross was constructed over 19 months and involved approximately 950 workers, including 70 full time equivalent roles.

Around 80 per cent of the trades used on site were from the surrounding Shoalhaven, Illawarra and Southern Highland regions.

The transition of the 170 single living accommodation units at HMAS Albatross into operation brings the total number of units under Plenary Living’s management (on behalf of the Department of Defence) to nearly 4,000 around the country, which includes 1,395 units from Single LEAP 1.

Over the coming months further Single LEAP 2 sites will be rolled out across the country with the project’s final site, 352 units at Robertson Barracks in Darwin, due for completion in February 2014.

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