Work on a new £12 million development to support army musicians at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) has been completed.

The new purpose-built space, which held its topping out ceremony last September, can now house all 54 musicians serving under British Army Band Sandhurst in an acoustically optimised space for rehearsals and performances.

The new and refurbished buildings feature an instrument store, music library and rehearsal rooms, as well as offices, storage, changing rooms, and a crew room that will support performances such as passing out parades and Sovereign’s parades.

The project was funded by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) under the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Army Programme, which is investing £3.35bn over ten years to improve living, working, and training accommodations for those who serve in the Army.

-- Advertisement --

Multi-disciplinary consultancy firm Pick Everard was behind the scheme, operating through Perfect Circle to deliver project management and NEC supervisor services alongside contractor Willmott Dixon and HLM Architects. Accelerated under the SCAPE Consultancy framework, the completed work achieved Defence Related Environmental Assessment Methodology (DREAM) 'Very Good' and ‘Excellent’ ratings, contributing sustainably to the built environment.

Matt Carter, director at Pick Everard, said: "This has been a complex undertaking, which involved close collaboration with our project partners to navigate several onsite challenges, including ecology operations to ensure our work would not interfere with natural habitats present onsite. Our teams were committed to delivering a facility of the highest standard, with green credentials, which is reflected in our DREAM ratings.

"British Army Band Sandhurst musicians now have a modern and acoustically optimised environment, that is befitting of their reputation for excellence on the UK Defence stage."

To enhance the sustainability of the site, air source heat pumps and solar panels have been included, as well as prefabricated containment kits and programmable lighting systems to reduce the project’s carbon footprint.

Social value was also integral to the project, with the team providing free decoration services to community centres nearby, as well as hosting coffee mornings with veterans to discuss and raise awareness about mental health.

Several apprentices also worked on the project, with work experience given to local school leavers.