Over the next 10 years Babcock will develop facilities at Devonport to meet the evolving requirements of the UK’s Royal Navy.
Since 2020 the UK Ministry of Defence has awarded Babcock initial contracts worth around £140m for infrastructure design and enabling works to support the Astute class submarine, which is currently replacing the Trafalgar class SSN submarine. This is the first stage in a long-term development programme for Devonport.
The infrastructure works are led by Babcock, working with Costain, Mott MacDonald and Mace.
The revamp will enable deep maintenance work packages for the latest class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines. Dock upgrades to support the Astute operational programme are designed to enable optimisation of maintenance on the platforms between HM Naval Base Clyde and Devonport dockyard.
Work has begun with the demolition of existing infrastructure including office blocks around the site’s 10 Dock facility. Over the last five years 10 Dock has seen the delivery of Landing Craft platform maintenance and an overhaul period of an Albion Class Landing Platform Dock ship.
In parallel with the 10 Dock project, preparations are also under way for an outage project for the adjacent 9 Dock. This project, managed by an integrated Bechtel and Cavendish Nuclear programme delivery team, will deliver maintenance, life extension and facility improvements to the dock for the Vanguard Class submarines.
Babcock Nuclear chief executive Dominic Kieran said: “The demolition of the first building is a major milestone. These projects will secure the site’s long-term future, readying our operations infrastructure for decades to come to support the delivery of critical national defence outputs, while providing around 200 new roles and supply chain opportunities in the region.”
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