Last Updated on April 2, 2026 by allieddispatch | Published: March 27, 2026
By Allied Dispatch UK
DEFENCE ESTATE | Infrastructure & Welfare
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that construction is set to begin on the first new-build military family homes in nearly ten years. The project, located at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, marks the start of a “decade-long transformation” of the defence estate.
Enabling works are now underway for 265 brand-new properties, including a mix of houses, flats, and bungalows in Carterton. This development is the first of its kind since 2017 and represents a core pillar of the government’s commitment to fixing the “dire state” of service accommodation.
Modernisation and Renewal
The Brize Norton project is part of a wider strategy to modernise military living conditions across the UK. Key figures from the announcement include:
- 2,000 Properties: The number of existing military homes scheduled for modernisation in the next 12 months alone.
- 1,250 Homes: The number of “worst-condition” properties already brought up to standard over the past year.
- Widened Access: This year, 1,000 families to whom a military home was previously unavailable will be given keys to defence housing.
The government has stated that better housing is a critical factor in addressing current recruitment and retention challenges, ensuring that personnel and their families—who often work “round the clock” on global crises—receive the quality of life they deserve.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP stated:
At a time of greater global uncertainty, when we’re asking more of our Forces and their families, a decent home has never mattered more.
Housing is at the heart of all of our lives. And after years of neglect, the new development at Brize Norton demonstrates delivery on our overhaul of military housing.
I am determined that British military families will get homes they can be proud of, as we renew our nation’s contract with those who serve.
The “Forces First” Strategy
The new builds follow a major policy shift where the MoD bought back over 36,000 homes into public ownership. This move allows the department to reinvest savings and directly manage the estate through the newly established Defence Housing Strategy, which prioritises the needs of service personnel, families, and veterans for homes built on MoD land.
Allied Dispatch UK Viewpoint
For too long, the “bricks and mortar” of military life have been neglected, with personnel expected to maintain world-class readiness while living in substandard conditions.
The focus on new-build bungalows and houses, not just repairs, shows a professional understanding of the modern military family’s needs.
A professional force requires a professional home base; by fixing the housing crisis, the MoD is finally treating its personnel as the high-value assets they are, rather than an afterthought.