MoD Abbey Wood

MoD Abbey Wood is a Ministry of Defence establishment at Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom. The purpose-built site houses the MoD Defence Equipment and Support procurement organisation. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in July 1996, after which 15 government departments employing some 13,400 people relocated to the site.

MoD Abbey Wood
MoD Abbey Wood
MoD Abbey Wood
Shown in relation to Bristol
General information
StatusComplete
TypeOffice complex and conference centre
LocationFilton
Town or cityBristol
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates51°30′11.88″N 02°33′33.01″W
Current tenantsDefence Equipment and Support
OpenedJuly 1996 (July 1996)
Cost£250 million
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Design and construction
Architecture firmScott Brownrigg
Other designersFira (Landscape Design)
Main contractorMowlem
Approach to the visitor entrance

History

The building project included more than 1,630,000 m²(1,900,000 sq yds) of buildings including offices, restaurants, library, sports facilities, training rooms, auditoria and conference rooms, support facilities and a crèche, together with landscaping and external works on a 402-acre (163 ha) site.[1] It was designed with a feel of connecting "neighbourhoods" and is surrounded by an artificial lake for security.[2]

Abbey Wood was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in July 1996. The campus cost £250 million [3] to build and has been described as "the most progressive public sector office complex built in Britain for a generation".[2] The site won the 1997 RICS Energy Efficiency award for the ecological design of the building,[4] however its environmental friendliness was later questioned as many employees travelled to the site by car,[5] though it is adjacent to the Filton Abbey Wood railway station.

After opening, the MoD Procurement Executive departments from across the UK, mainly London and Bath, relocated to the new facility. Subsequently further consolidation to the site has occurred.[6] The relocation of departments, bringing together 15 offices and 4,400 staff, was the largest ever attempted by a British government department.[2] The site manages procurement contracts for the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force. Abbey Wood is the largest MoD site in the UK with 13,850 staff in 2012.[7][8]

References
  1. Contractor brief for initial building project
  2. Turner, Gavin; Myerson, Jeremy (1998). "Redesigning the environment". Changing spaces : making the working environment work (Illustrated ed.). Brookfield, VT: Gower. p. 94. ISBN 9780566080289.
  3. "MoD on target at Abbey Wood". Construction News. 18 January 1996. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  4. Keeping, Miles; Shiers, David (2009). "Green property: the design of buildings that have lower environmental impact". Sustainable Property Development: A Guide to Real Estate and the Environment. John Wiley & Sons. p. 116. ISBN 9781405178303.
  5. Macmillan, Sebastian (2004). Designing Better Buildings: Quality and Value in the Built Environment. Taylor & Francis. p. 80. ISBN 9780415315258.
  6. "MoD to move 1,400 workers from Bath". BBC News. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  7. Dave Harvey (12 May 2011). "Straight talking from the top, at MoD Abbey Wood". BBC News. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  8. "Behind the scene at Abbey Wood". Bristol Post. 1 November 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
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