Soldiers from the British Army’s technical and engineering division, the Royal Engineers, recently transitioned from their military setting to the busy complexity of a big commercial building site in a potent display of the private sector’s dedication to helping the UK Armed Forces. The engineers took part in an in-depth, behind-the-scenes tour of Kent’s £419 million Rochester Riverside regeneration project, a flagship project by Hyde and Vistry Group. The visit, held on Wednesday, October 15, marks the latest instalment in Vistry Group’s crucial, ongoing collaboration with the Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) in Chatham, facilitated through their partnership with Mid Kent College. This successful initiative provides regular, invaluable exposure to large-scale, modern construction methodologies for military personnel undergoing trade training.
Vistry Group’s continuous support for the Royal Engineers directly aligns with its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant. Over the past year, monthly site visits across Vistry developments, including Eastern Quarry, Tovil, and the current focus at Rochester Riverside, have ensured soldiers gain firsthand experience in the logistics, health and safety, and quality assurance processes essential to delivering pivotal construction projects.
The Royal Engineers train across an extensive range of construction disciplines, and the on-site sessions are tailored to complement their core curriculum. The key areas of focus for this military-civilian partnership include:
- Substructure: Concrete and brickwork.
- Timber: Carpentry and joinery.
- M&E Systems: Plumbing, heating, and electrical systems.
- Finishing Trades: Structural finishes, encompassing drylining, plastering, tiling, painting, and flooring.
During the focused October visit, the cohort zeroed in on structural finishes—a vital stage in residential development. The team reviewed complex tasks such as dry lining installation, tape and jointing processes, and the detailed operations of tiling, decorating, and flooring.
Site supervisors and managers from Vistry and their supply chain partners led comprehensive demonstrations, providing detailed explanations on everything from stringent health and safety compliance and logistics management to efficient programme sequencing and maintaining high quality assurance standards.
A unique component of the training included a discussion on how construction techniques must adapt to differing global environments—a key consideration for the Royal Engineers who may be deployed internationally. This covered factors like varying ground conditions, material availability, and suitability in diverse climates. The visit culminated with a detailed inspection of the roof slab on a five-storey, reinforced concrete frame apartment block, offering a high-level view of structural construction.
The setting for this vital training is the transformative Rochester Riverside scheme. A £419 million partnership between Vistry and Hyde, in collaboration with Medway Council and Homes England, the project is a major brownfield regeneration of the waterfront area in the historic city of Rochester.
To date, the scheme has already delivered over 500 new homes, alongside significant community infrastructure, including a new primary school, a commercial plaza, and public open spaces with a new river walkway, enhancing connectivity to Rochester’s historic High Street. The next phases of work, Phases 4 and 5, are scheduled to begin construction early next year and will introduce a further 353 new homes, including essential affordable housing, a nursery, and more green spaces for residents.
Brendan Evans, Managing Director for Vistry Kent, expressed pride in the enduring collaboration, emphasising its broader significance. “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Royal Engineers and support their training through regular site visits at Rochester Riverside,” he said. “These sessions not only demonstrate our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant but also provide a unique opportunity for soldiers to gain practical insights into modern construction techniques. Rochester Riverside is a flagship regeneration scheme, and it’s a privilege to share its progress with those who serve our country.”
Emma Cherrison, Building Faculty Manager at Mid Kent College, highlighted the measurable impact on the soldiers’ learning experience. “This kind of exposure is truly invaluable to the Royal Engineers,” she commented. “The opportunity to observe and engage with live projects not only enriches their understanding but also brings a tangible relevance to their training. The relationship that’s been developed with Vistry continues to add significant value to the experience we offer our soldiers. It’s partnerships like these that help bridge the gap between theoretical instruction and real-world application, and are a vital step in preparing the Royal Engineers for the challenges they’ll face beyond the classroom.”
The ongoing successful partnership between Vistry Group, the Royal Engineers, and Mid Kent College serves as a strong model for industry-military collaboration, ensuring that the critical trade skills learned by the soldiers are enhanced by the latest commercial construction standards, directly benefiting both their future military roles and their eventual transition to civilian life.
Read more news on: joinery and carpentry
Get such updates through woodandpanel.us
