Significant progress has been made on a new accommodation block at Royal Marines Commando Training Centre (RMCTC) in Lympstone, Devon.

Galliford Try and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) have marked the topping out ceremony for the new development.

Progress has carried on at the facility in accordance with strict Covid-19 securing measures, meaning the £7.9m building's framework has now reached its highest point.

To mark the event, representatives from Galliford Try and the DIO were joined on site by Commandant of the Commando Training Centre, Colonel Simon Chapman to see first-hand the excellent progress made and hold a Covid-19 compliant, socially-distanced ceremony.

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Mark Wusthoff, Area Director for Galliford Try Building South West, said: "We were delighted to be able to welcome our partners on site to signify this important milestone, demonstrating the progress we have safely made despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.

"Defence is a key sector for our business and we are looking forward to the successful completion of this project, demonstrating the breadth of our offering to the sector and our capabilities within it."

Simon Jones, DIO Project Manager, commented: "This is an incredibly exciting milestone for the project and one we are pleased to be working on with Galliford Try and with our technical support providers Aecom. This purpose-built facility will provide modern and essential accommodation to personnel as they recover from injury and undergo rehabilitation on site.

"We are delighted with the progress on the facility to date especially in these challenging times and we look forward to celebrating its completion."

The £7.9m project will deliver a 181-bed block for junior ranks, as well as supporting offices, and a communal area at the site near Lympstone. The block will comprise of eight-bed rooms and one ten-bed room.