Originally Posted by
Pure Pursuit
We can’t afford to keep an estate in its current guise. Places like Waddington are falling apart so, the plan to shrink the estate and keep the money saved within the defence estates budget makes perfect sense.
Perfect sense? I disagree. Having spent a very nice afternoon at former RAF Bicester for their ‘Sunday Scramble’ they have bought the old site and restored it to lovely condition for less than £10M (maybe as low as £5M). Why? Because the MOD is being fleeced by the contractors - our maintenance costs could be cut by half to two-thirds if we could use local contractors instead of the ‘Regional Prime Contractor’ (who doesn’t seem very regional at all!). Also, the old 1930s technical site across the road at Bicester has been converted into flats and houses - all of the old steam heating taken out and modern combi boilers put in so that they are cheap to heat.
Further, these 1930s buildings were built to last. Whenever we build some nasty glass carbuncle they are lucky if they last 25 years. The studes absolutely hate Daedalus Officers’ Mess at Crantanamo and all can’t wait to move into York House. Some label DOM as the ‘Happy Eater’ and I can see why.
So sack DIO and C-A, get some local contractors into Waddington and see the difference it makes. If it looks half as good as the ex-RAF Bicester site was today people would be happy
