Northern Ireland headquartered McLaughlin & Harvey has successfully completed the construction of the UK Ministry of Defence's (MOD) new state-of-the-art storage facility at Longtown in Cumbria.

Known as the Longtown Defence Storage Facility (LDSF), the £98.5m project boasts a 76,000m² warehouse that will provide safe and secure storage for a broad range of mission-critical operational materiel and inventory, such as large spare parts used by the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

Designed with sustainability and long-term resilience in mind, the facility incorporates modern construction methods, high-performance materials and energy-efficient systems – supporting operational effectiveness and contributing to the MOD's net zero ambitions.

The new facility uses green technologies and practices, including energy-efficient lighting, automated climate control and recyclable packaging solutions. There will also be a dedicated nature reserve areas and rainwater will be recycled for washroom facilities.

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During a recent handover event, a symbolic large key was passed from McLaughlin & Harvey to DE&S which runs the site in partnership with Leidos and supply chain specialists Kuehne + Nagel, known collectively as Team Leidos.

The contract for the construction of the site awarded by DE&S to McLaughlin & Harvey supported approximately 150 highly skilled jobs in Scotland and a further 300 in the North of England.

Paul Griffen, Managing Director, McLaughlin & Harvey, said: "The successful completion of a 76,000m² warehouse within the Ministry of Defence's national storage network wasn't just another build – it was the delivery of critical national infrastructure within a live, high-security environment.

"Our team worked in close partnership with all stakeholders, ensuring minimal disruption to the daily operations of the base. This project highlights our capability in the defence sector and ongoing commitment to supporting the United Kingdom's armed forces to remain ready, responsive and resilient."

The Longtown site will also ensure assets and capabilities at existing Defence Fulfilment Centres in Donnington, Shropshire and Bicester, Oxfordshire, are more readily available to meet surges in demand, optimising support and delivery to those on the frontline when they need it most.

The on-site rail network has also been enhanced as a result of the project. This is to enable materiel to be moved in and out of LDSF easily and distributed via the national network to other MOD sites, helping to reduce costs, lorry journeys and emissions.