Integra delivers key Ministry of Defence contract to upgrade Army Cadet facilities

Modular construction specialist Integra Buildings is supporting the Ministry of Defence with a UK-wide programme to upgrade facilities for the Army Cadets.

Integra was selected to manufacture and install more than a dozen buildings which will be used by thousands of Army Cadets for fun, friendship, action and adventure.

Work on the nationwide contract, worth around £14m, is well underway with facilities in Lincolnshire, Lancashire and Norfolk among the first to be handed over to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

As well as being used by regional Army Cadets units, the buildings will provide high-quality community facilities for local people to enjoy.

Integra was awarded the contract after a competitive tender process, having being invited to bid for the work through the Government’s £10bn Crown Commercial Services framework.

The East Yorkshire-based firm is one of 29 companies on the framework, enabling Integra to tender for significant public sector contracts in sectors including health, housing, education and defence.

Integra Managing Director Chris Turner said: “When we were invited to tender for this exciting project, we didn’t hesitate. We knew it would be a fantastic contract to deliver, working with the Government organisation, and one which will make a real difference to the young people using these facilities.

“This was exactly the sort of project we wanted to work on when we bid to be on the Crown Commercial Services framework. It underlines our position as a modular construction partner of choice for major public sector contracts.

“We’re enjoying working with the Ministry of Defence and Army Cadets to deliver high-quality buildings which will serve local communities well for years to come.”

In total, Integra is delivering 14 buildings under the contract. The first sites – in Blackburn, Lancashire, Fakenham, Norfolk and Skegness, Lincolnshire – have been handed over to the Army Cadets.

The Ministry of Defence chose modular as its method of construction due to the efficiencies it offers in design, time and cost.

Two different building designs were created by the MoD, which will be rolled out across the 14 sites. A small number of sites will require a bespoke design, to meet site constraints.

Integra’s modular construction practices ensure exceptional consistency in production and quality control, as well as inherent sustainability benefits.

The company’s total commitment to sustainability received royal recognition when Integra was named as the only modular construction business to receive a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in 2025.

Integra was honoured in the Sustainable Development category, with judges commending the business for “challenging the boundaries of what is possible in sustainable construction through bespoke design and offsite manufacturing”.

All of the buildings delivered under the contract meet the MoD’s DREAM (Defence Related Environmental Assessment Methodology) environmental performance standard, helping create a sustainable built environment.

They offer increased energy efficiency compared to the facilities they are replacing, reducing both running costs and carbon emissions.

The contract forms part of the Ministry of Defence’s Reserve Estate Optimisation Programme, a major defence investment which aims to optimise its estate and transition from a historic footprint to one that supports the demands of today.

The buildings under the contract with Integra will principally be used by cadets from three forces – the Army Cadet Force, the Air Training Corps and the Sea Cadets.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Defence said: This investment demonstrates Defence’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, modern spaces for our Cadet forces.

“These new facilities are more than just buildings – they’re places where young people come together to grow in confidence, develop skills and form lasting friendships.

“By working with partners like Integra, we are ensuring that the Cadet experience continues to evolve and thrive in communities across the UK.”

Amy Browne is an Apprentice Project Manager at Integra and has supported delivery of the project.

She said: “Working on these projects has provided me with invaluable experience of managing multiple sites for an important client, ensuring quality and consistency across each location.

“It’s brilliant to see the sites progress, with the first buildings now installed and handed over. I hope everyone enjoys the new facilities and am excited to see this project evolve and progress.”

The project is the latest significant public sector contract awarded to Integra.

In a separate contract won through the Crown Commercial Services framework, Integra is delivering office accommodation facilities for National Highways sites across the UK.

Work is well underway at each of the sites, in Lancashire, Merseyside and Devon, with Integra’s teams delivering a full turnkey package which includes groundworks, foundations, installation and fit-out.

Integra has also delivered nationwide projects for the Environment Agency through the framework, utilising a similar approach of designing and creating a single building, which can then be duplicated and rolled out at sites across the country.

To read more about Integra’s ongoing project with National Highways, won through the Crown Commercial Services framework, go to www.integrabuildings.co.uk/integra-hits-the-road-to-deliver-national-highways-contract/.