A defence contractor wants to build an ‘energetics manufacturing facility’ on the former ExxonMobil site in Mossmorran
A defence firm has submitted plans to build what could be a major weapons factory on the former ExxonMobil site in Mossmorran, Fife, it has been revealed.
The plans by Hampshire-based defence contractor, TBG International Limited, emerged in an application lodged with Fife Council for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) - the initial procedural step in the planning process.
Included in the plans are proposal to alter offices and warehouses, and build an “energetics manufacturing facility”. Energetic materials are the explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics that are essential components of weapons.
The MoD has committed £1.5 billion to build at least six new munitions and energetics factories under the Strategic Defence Review.
The application for the Fife site which ceased production in February was lodged by Ryan Hutchinson, a director at TBG which develops, manufactures and delivers defence systems, technologies and capabilities for the United Kingdom, NATO and its allies.
The company began as the defence division of The Blue Group which was established in 2009, and its website states: “Our first priority is the security and industrial resilience of the United Kingdom, and we are committed to strengthening the UK's position as a leading defence nation. In doing so, we ensure that our allies have access to the capability they need.”
Its work “spans the full breadth of defence capability” and the company’s mission statement said: “We believe the UK defence industrial base is a strategic national asset, and we contribute meaningfully to its strength, resilience and global competitiveness.
“That belief drives every programme we undertake, every facility we commission and every product we develop.
“We combine deep technical capability with the agility, ambition and determination to deliver outcomes that matter for the United Kingdom and its allies. We do things differently because the situation demands it, and our track record demonstrates that the approach works.
“Our teams operate internationally, working with governments, armed forces and industrial partners across NATO and allied nations. We bring the full weight of UK defence expertise to every engagement, whether that is a complex multi-year procurement programme, a sovereign manufacturing initiative or a rapid development effort to address an emerging operational requirement.”
The council has already told the company an EIA will be required for any subsequent planning application on the grounds it would be “an integrated chemical installation for the manufacture, on an industrial scale, of substances using chemical conversion processes, in which several units are juxtaposed and functionally linked, and which is intended for the production of explosives.”
TBG’s interest in Mossmorran, which sits close to the A92 dual carriageway, comes just months after its shock closure which affected up to 400 workers.
A Fife Council led task force has been co-ordinating efforts to support the workforce and also deal with the future of the vast site.
In June, council leader, Councillor David Ross, said there had been several expressions of interest, but demolition isn’t expected to start until next year with the site cleared in 2028.
The UK Government has pledged up to £9million to support workers and communities affected by the closure, while the Scottish Government is footing the bill help staff retain in a major initiative with Fife College. They are all part of the task force which continues to meet regularly.