�330m 'super' military digs open

The biggest army base in the UK has officially opened after a �330m makeover, with thousands of troops moving to the site in North Yorkshire.

Catterick Garrison, home to 13,000 civilian and military residents, has been nicknamed a "super garrison" after its accommodation was refurbished.

Army bosses acknowledged past criticism of military digs and said Catterick was "indicative of future standards".

Six thousand soldiers have now been relocated from Germany to Catterick.

The relocation of the 4th Mechanized Brigade, also known as the "Black Rats", and the opening of the new accommodation were celebrated at a formal opening ceremony.

'Spiritual home'

Black Rats commander Brigadier Julian Free described the relocation to Yorkshire as a "return to our spiritual home".

He said: "Our single soldiers have been thrilled to arrive back to newly-completed en-suite bedrooms."

The Black Rats had previously been located in Osnabruck, Germany for 27 years.

The Defence Minister responsible for military accommodation, Kevan Jones, said: "There has been a legacy of underfunding in armed forces housing, so today's opening ceremony at Catterick is evidence of progress that we are now starting to see."

Apart from 2,800 new bedrooms, the MoD is also building a physiotherapy centre, a leisure centre and redeveloping Catterick town centre.

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