Defence giant BAE has submitted preliminary plans for the redevelopment of its Govan and Scotstoun shipyards, pending a final decision on the future consolidation of its warship business.
BAE Systems has formally begun consulting on plans for a major
new "frigate factory" that could signal the end of shipbuilding at
one of its two Clyde yards.
Two separate notices have been filed for the yards; indicating
plans to either invest in both sites in tandem or pull the plug on
Govan to focus exclusively on Scotstoun.
The restructuring has been necessitated by the looming
completion of a huge contract to deliver two aircraft carriers for
the Royal Navy, with order books beyond unable to justify the
present workforce.
It has been widely rumoured the company will focus its energies
on building a new generation of frigates at a single yard in
Scotstoun, shutting the historic Fairfields site at Govan.
However, there is also understood to be a less favoured plan to
build the new vessels, Type 26s or Global Combat Ships, across two
sites, keeping both Govan and Scotstoun open.
BAE Systems has now formally notified Glasgow City Council of
planning proposals for both options. It had to do so because the
sheer scale of the works envisaged is so big that it has a duty to
enter into a statutory pre-planning application consultation with
stakeholders such as community groups.
Source: The Herald - BAE submits Clyde yard plans