Initial Business Cases for Defence

One of the largest real estate portfolios in Australia is owned by the Department of Defence and managed by its Estate and Infrastructure Group. Before any major project is undertaken by Defence, a comprehensive initial business case is developed to assess the viability and prioritise facility and infrastructure requirements across the portfolio.  

With our experience in strategic planning and conducting feasibility, the Department of Defence turned to The APP Group to deliver the initial business cases in three project locations. These included the relocation of an Army Reserves Unit at Tweed Heads, a refresh of the Townsville Field Training Area and an upgrade to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands airfield.  

Each business case required a consistent approach and integrated team effort to deliver. Our team consulted with stakeholders, summarising the business needs and developing suitable options. We also engaged surveyors to develop P50 cost estimates and consulted with engineers and architects about design issues.  

In Tweed Heads, we delivered an early property report that met all requirements, outlined the available properties for purchase or lease and recommended a property solution.  

In Townsville, we focused on prioritising and designing several engineering options to balance the complex client requirements within the available budget. 

At the airfield in Cocos (Keeling) Island, we engaged specialist airfield design engineers to develop concepts. We also contacted the previous civil contractor for the runway for independent feedback and alternate logistic and design costings.