Construction work is to begin later this month on the £250m Worthy Down project in Winchester.

The scheme – known as Project Wellesley – will take around five years to complete and will provide accommodation for up to 2,000 students and staff.

Skanska beat Lend Lease and Vinci to take the job to build the new defence college that brings together onto one site the majority of logistics and personnel administration training for the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.

The plan is for the centre to be up and running by late 2018, while maintaining training at the site throughout the construction period.

Part of the new defence college at Worthy Down

The development of the Worthy Down site will enable the relocation of military units from Princess Royal Barracks Deepcut in Surrey, which is then intended to be closed and sold.

As part of the deal, Skanska will also act as development manager for the redevelopment of the Deepcut site where around 1,200 homes, a school and other facilities will be built.