Work starts on gigantic hall where two Type 26 frigates can be built side by side

Work has begun on a gigantic new ship hall which will allow two Type 26 frigates to be built alongside each other – considerably speeding up the construction of a new class of Royal Navy ships.

Replacing the submarine-hunting Type 23 frigates, Type 26 frigates are set for delivery in the coming decade and will safeguard the Navy from submarine attack well into the 2060s.

Once complete, the 170m-long new ship build hall will be big enough to have 500 people working on the frigate per shift, as well as housing two 100-tonne cranes and two 20-tonne cranes.

• HMS Cardiff becomes whole as giant halves of vessel are joined
• Type 26 frigates: Navy's City-class explained
• Royal Navy's new Type 26 frigate emerges for first time in Glasgow

"This new hall will give us some of the best facilities in the world and completely modernise our approach to shipbuilding," Simon Lister, managing director of Naval Ships at BAE Systems, said.

Dubbed the City-class, eight Type 26s have been ordered – all named after major UK cities, led by HMS Glasgow.

The existing construction in Govan, Glasgow, only allows for fore and rear sections of the frigates to be built under cover.

The giant segments are then joined together on the standing – completely exposed to the elements, which is where HMS Cardiff currently sits.

That means for months on end the ships are kept outside, with unfavourable Scottish weather restricting and slowing down construction.

Work on the foundations – filling in a basin – has been completed and piling has started for the new hall.

The new complex is part of a £300m investment in BAE's facilities on both sides of the Clyde, which Mr Lister said "will ensure Govan continues to be something that the city of Glasgow can be truly proud of".