£86m Ministry of Defence facility to open in north Cumbria creating 450 jobs

An £86 million storage facility for the Ministry of Defence is being built in north Cumbria, creating 450 jobs.

The building – the size of 12 football pitches – is being built in Longton, north of Carlisle.

Due to be complete in October 2024, it will support the armed forces on operations, providing safe and secure storage for equipment used by all three services such as engines and other large spare parts in the defence inventory.

Known as the MOD Distribution Centre (North), the Longtown facility will be built on a brownfield site within the Longtown estate. It is being built by Glasgow-based construction and civil engineering company McLaughlin & Harvey.

The Ministry of Defence already operates warehouse sites in Shropshire and Oxfordshire.

John Farrow, DE&S director logistics and support operating centre, said: “The new warehouse will provide the UK with additional modern storage facilities, building on the success of similar facilities in Donnington, that will ensure assets are available more rapidly to meet surges in demand.

“This contract represents a fantastic example of the progress we have made in developing and implementing fit-for-purpose facilities that is helping to accelerate our mission of equipping and supporting our UK armed forces today and tomorrow.”

“Much of the Department’s warehouses were built around the Second World War, therefore the modernisation of warehouse facilities will provide the best protection for the assets it holds. The new facility will provide growth capacity for new capabilities coming into service over the next ten years and beyond.”

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge, said: “Iam delighted that work is being done at DM Longtown by McLaughlin and Harvey. Longtown is a hugely important, strategic facility and contributes much to the operational capability of defence.

“This work also highlights the number of people at the facility who work cross-border and that defence is a pan-UK business, involving contractors from right across the UK, to keep its people and allies safe.”