Accommodation for New Zealand Army frontline soldiers has received a significant upgrade at Papakura Military Camp, with the recent opening of the first of its ‘living concept’ soldier flats.
Barrack accommodation has been the norm across camps and bases since post-Second World War, however, these fully furnished flats are an entirely new concept.
Papakura’s camp commander [name withheld] says the flats provide far more than just living condition upgrades.
“These flats not only provide a solution for what has been a challenging period for our soldiers with regards to accommodation, but they also represent a significant generational change in how we house our people. We’re really keen to see how they go so that we may be able to provide more of them in a timely and cost-effective manner,” he said.
“Not only will they improve the day-to-day conditions our soldiers live in, but it allows them to be best prepared, and in the best physical and mental state to get after our military outputs.”
The new accommodation consists of five four-bedroom fully furnished flats that include a kitchen, lounge, apartment-style laundry, dishwashers, with an en-suite and private balcony for each room, along with a utility building with larger commercial washing machines, drying rooms and storage.
The Franklin Times understands Drury company Transbuild was used for the flats.
The flats were built as aging barrack infrastructure on camp had been in use for more than 40 years, resulting in major maintenance and upgrade works being required, which prompted the closure of five barracks last year. Since then, many soldiers have been living in one-room cabins with limited access to ablutions and laundry facilities.
Associate Minister of Defence Chris Penk visited the closed barracks last year, posting photos to social media showing black mould.
“Shocking just how bad things have got at Papakura Military Camp,” he posted to Facebook last July.
Although more accommodation on camp is needed, the NZDF said the flats are a step in the right direction in solving infrastructure needs at the army camp, with the building project taking only seven months to complete. The flats were opened on February 14 by Penk.
