Representatives from DIO visited a refurbishment project in Woolwich, which will see £10m investment into improving the housing estate. This includes refurbishments to 130 homes, ahead of the return of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment that has been deployed to Cyprus over the last two years. 

DIO Operations Director South, Sebastian O’Hara, was joined by colleagues from VIVO to see firsthand the progress being made in the area.  

Each home has been assessed to ensure improvements deliver modern living standards, and long-term value. Families will see upgrades such as new kitchens and bathrooms, enhanced heating systems, white internal doors, hard flooring, freshly painted white walls, and additional modern features such as USB-equipped sockets.  

Across the Woolwich estate, additional improvements are underway to support the wellbeing and safety of our families. This includes enhanced street lighting, refreshed garden areas, new patios and fencing and repaired or replaced garage doors. Over the next 12 months, roofing works are being completed where required, including new soffits, fascias, insulation and canopies. 

Security measures will be strengthened with upgraded lighting, expanded CCTV coverage and new security barriers across key areas, alongside updated estate signage that improves visibility and consistency. 

Two new play areas are being built, featuring a community space with picnic benches and a mural designed by children from military families. Biodiversity is being encouraged throughout the project, supporting both environmental quality and natural habitats. 

This project forms part of the wider Defence Housing Strategy, which is driving a generational transformation of SFA. Over the next decade, more than 40,000 homes across the UK will be modernised or upgraded through a £9bn investment to ensure personnel and their families return to homes that are modern, comfortable and truly feel like home.