A state of the art £100 million nuclear submarine building complex, built by construction and infrastructure company Morgan Sindall, has been opened by defence secretary, Gavin Williamson. The 175,000 sq ft Central Yard facility in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, used to outfit and test the most advanced submarines in the Royal NAVY’s fleet.

Now, the Central Yard Facility comprises production, workshop and office facilities, as well as featuring two cranes, each with a 150 tonne capacity and a 60m span.

“The complexity and scale of the site, coupled with the building’s design requirements meant that the project required a team with particular expertise, and experience of working in partnership with defence contractors,” said Andrew Parker, director of defence at Morgan Sindall.

“We are incredibly proud to have successfully delivered this project in collaboration with our sister company, BakerHicks. It is not only of vital importance to both BAE Systems and the MOD, but also to the people of Barrow,” he added.

During his visit, the defence secretary announced a further £2.5 billion investment into the country’s nuclear submarine programme, by awarding BAE Systems a £1.5 billion contract for delivery of the seventh Astute class submarine, alongside a further £900 million for the next phase of the Dreadnought submarine programme. He also named the seventh and final submarine Agincourt.

The investment has been hailed as a huge vote of confidence in the Barrow facility and vital for the wider region. It will secure more than 8,000 jobs across BAE Systems and thousands more in the wider supply chain, providing new opportunities across the country.

“Not only is this a massive boost for our armed forces, but it’s huge for Barrow, the heart of sub-building in this country,” said defence secretary, Gavin Williamson.