Major expansion planned at Welsh arms factory

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A major expansion at a south Wales arms factory is being proposed though detailed plans are being kept under wraps.

BAE Systems has applied for planning permission for the construction of 18 new buildings and a 30 space car park at its existing Glascoed munitions factory between Usk and Pontypool.

An unspecified number of ancillary structures are also proposed.

The private firm supplies weapons to the UK’s Ministry of Defence, including bombs for use by Ukraine, and others. Pro Palestine protestors have also staged demonstrations at the site due to arms sales to Israel though the company has said it operates under tight regulations and complies with defence export controls, that are subject to ongoing assessments.

The plant was rocked by an explosion, which local residents reported as causing the ground to shake in April. It was initially described as unexplained and was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive.

Due to security concerns no details have been published with the application on Monmouthshire County Council’s dedicated planning website.

Applications normally include detailed drawings, a raft of supporting information as well as a completed application form.

However the only document published on the website explains full details can only be viewed by appointment, at County Hall in Usk, and none of the information can be retained or shared elsewhere.

The statement reads: “Due to the sensitive nature of the site, full details of the application can only be viewed by appointment only at County Hall. Please note that none of the information can be copied/retained/published.

“For information, this application is related to the construction of 18 buildings, a 30 space car park and ancillary structures.”

The application site is listed as the Glascoed access at Monkswood and the red outline, marking the application site, on the council’s website is drawn around the south western corner of the BAE site surrounded by woodland that separates the factory from Mount Zion Baptist Church in Glascoed.

Blast mounds

BAE was granted planning permission for a new munitions building and blast mounds in November 2024.

The site at Glascoed, near Pontypool, was originally developed in 1938 as a bomb-filling factory for the Royal Navy in the run-up to World War Two, and has continued to supply ammunition to UK troops since it was privatised by the Thatcher government in the 1980s.

Members of the public wishing to view the plans must contact the council’s planning department, by emailing [email protected], to make an appointment and the deadline to comment on the plans is Thursday, September 3.

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