Weapons factory applies for extension

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A weapons factory where there was an unexplained explosion earlier this year wants to extend one of its existing buildings.

Nearby residents reported feeling like there had been an earthquake following the explosion at the BAE Systems site at Glascoed which is between Usk and Pontypool.

The Health and Safety Executive said specialist investigators would be probing the April 17 blast and the private firm, that supplies the UK Ministry of Defence and others, also launched its own investigation after confirming an “incident”, with no injuries, at the site which emergency services attended.

David Davies, who was Monmouthshire MP, at the time said the explosion happened in a “remote part of the site that had been set aside to take apart shells and this was being done by remote control” following usual procedures.

Sabotage 

During a general election campaign visit to Usk, then Home Secretary James Cleverly said he wouldn’t “speculate” on reports European intelligence agencies warned Russia has plotted violent acts of sabotage across the continent and elsewhere. The Financial Times highlighted the unexplained explosion at the Monmouthshire factory that supplies shells used by Ukraine.

Mr Cleverly said Britain has “robust” arrangements against state aggression but said: “I’m not going to speculate about that particular incident.

“The general point is that we know the UK is being targeted by hostile states. I’m sure your readers will understand that I’m not going to go into details about UK security but we know that we are targeted.”

BAE’s latest planning application, to Monmouthshire County Council, is seeking permission for a revised height, length, width and footprint of a single storey building it was given permission for in April 2009.

In July firm put forward initial plans for a new manufacturing facility on vacant land at its site and submitted an environmental impact assessment “scoping request” to the council as it “proposes to develop a new energetics manufacturing facility”.

The council is still considering whether an environmental impact report will be required.

The new planning application, which is also being considered, states additional plans have been supplied to the planning department but they haven’t been published in the usual manner.

Previous applications at the site have been accompanied with a note explaining full details haven’t been made public due to the “sensitive nature” of the site.