The Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, has visited DMS Whittington, in Staffordshire, to officially open the new head office of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). St George’s House has been purpose-built to accommodate more than 550 Ministry of Defence (MOD) staff who have relocated to the site following the closure of DIO’s former home in Sutton Coldfield.
The new building not only offers a modern working environment, but has also been designed to reduce carbon contribution through the use of renewable energy, low water usage systems, improved insulation and electric car-charging points. An area outside has been planted with wild grasses to encourage natural wildlife.
Additionally, the building was designed around an oak to avoid needing to fell the tree, which was planted by the Cheshire Regiment as a sapling in about 1969. The sapling is believed to originate from a tree grown from an oak sprig given to the 22nd Regiment of Foot. They were predecessors to the Cheshire Regiment and were given the oak sprig by King George II in gratitude for saving him from capture at the Battle of Dettingham in 1743.
The construction contract was awarded to Kier, with work commencing in January 2020 and completing in August 2021. The £12 million project covered the demolition of an existing building and construction of the new head office as well as a new secure car park with 230 additional spaces.
We were there to capture it all with our time-lapse cameras, but due to the secure nature of the site we are unfortunately unable to share the film with you!
You can find out more about the new buliding and it’s opening here >