Over 7,000 jobs and £914 million in spending underline Wales’ role in national security

WALES is set to benefit significantly from a major increase in UK Government spending on defence, with the country already a key player in the sector through cutting-edge technology and innovation.

New figures reveal that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) spends £290 per person in Wales and directly supports over 7,700 jobs. In 2023–24, the MOD spent £914 million with industry and commerce in Wales – an increase of £86 million on the previous year.

The country’s contribution to defence was highlighted during a ministerial visit to North Wales on Thursday (Apr 3), where Wales Office Minister Dame Nia Griffith visited Teledyne Qioptiq Ltd in St Asaph. The company develops advanced electro-optic technology used in defence programmes such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Challenger 2 tanks. It also provides essential support to infantry forces through the STAS contract.

Dame Nia Griffith said:
“The defence industry is a cornerstone of our national security and economic prosperity.

“All of the MOD’s top five suppliers have a footprint in Wales, which puts us in a strong position to benefit from increased defence spending.

“Companies like Qioptiq are not only driving innovation, but also providing high-quality jobs and contributing significantly to our local and national economy.

“The UK Government’s top priority is kickstarting economic growth. By investing in the defence sector, we safeguard national security, create new jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets.”

Peter White, Managing Director of Qioptiq, added:
“It is a privilege to continue playing our part in keeping our troops and society safe.”

Across Wales, the defence sector includes over 160 companies employing more than 20,000 people. The industry’s importance is set to grow further following the Prime Minister’s recent pledge to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.

As part of that investment, the Chancellor confirmed in the Autumn Budget that £975 million will be allocated to the UK aerospace sector over the next five years – with £49 million already earmarked for projects in Wales.

While in North Wales, Dame Nia also visited Wagtail UK in Mostyn – an award-winning company that provides detection dogs and training services to clients including the UK Border Force, HMRC, Police, Trading Standards, and the Armed Forces.

A HAND car wash scheme at a Pembrokeshire builders’ yard on the edge of the county town has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application before Pembrokeshire county council, Serkan Ustugul sought permission to use part of the builders’ yard/lorry park at Lower Dredgemans Hill, Merlins Bridge, Haverfordwest as a car wash facility, along with an associated waiting area/store and drainage mitigation system.

A supporting statement through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd said: “The yard has historic use as a builder’s yard for some 80 years with the site being used by various vehicles on multiple occasions during the week. A number of small businesses lease portions of the land from the owner as builder’s yard, lorry park, and mechanic and storage areas, and they in turn generate traffic movements to access and egress the yard onto the main road.

“Being close to Merlins Bridge and Haverfordwest the proposed site for the car wash facility is in a sustainable location. The site is adjacent to the main railway line and to the north is a large complex of business units.”

Works were undertaken at the site back in 2019 when the entrance gates into the site and the flanking walls were removed to for access by Network Rail in order to carry out nearby bridge improvements on the adjoining railway network, with a later full planning application for the revised access for larger vehicles for those works granted.

The latest application said existing consents at the site allowed multiple uses, with the use of of a car-wash already allowed, adding: “however, the operational development requires planning permission.  This application proposes the use of part of the land at the existing builder’s yard to form a hand car wash facility, which is proposed to operate from 8.30am to 6pm seven days a week (including bank holidays).

“The detailed scheme comprises a one-way system with vehicular entry and exit off the existing access at Merlins Bridge which was widened and improved under [the previous consent].”

It finished: “The proposed hand car-wash facility will provide local employment opportunities and provide an important local service for its customers.  The scheme will not be visually intrusive due to the proposed location of the development as a whole, and the detailed layout of the site. The canopies and portacabin proposed are not over-sized and minimised visual clutter on the site.”

The application was conditionally approved by planning officers.

PLANS to convert a garden shed to a holiday let at a Pembrokeshire seaside village with the highest rates of second homes and holiday lets in the county have been turned down.

In an application before Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Shabnam Banihashem of 19a Wesley Road, Little Haven sought permission to convert a rear garden shed, already replace with a summerhouse, to holiday let accommodation.

Local community council The Havens had objected to the scheme, saying it has concerns over parking and highway access arrangements, and concerns about impact on Highway traffic safety-related matters.

The park’s building conservation officer had recommended the plans be refused despite it being a “relatively hidden and constricted site” with a likely low impact on the conservation area, saying there “is likely to be an impact on character due to extra traffic – and the potential for setting a worrying development”.

An officer report recommending refusal said: “The Authority has concerns in connection with the proposal due to the impact upon the residential amenity of the host dwelling, and its immediate neighbours, the impact upon the character of the Little Haven Conservation Area due to the potential for additional traffic, and due to the proposed summerhouse being unsuitable in terms of size for the use of holiday letting.

“Ordinarily, when a proposal would result in the creation of a single residential unit, a financial contribution towards the provision of off-site affordable housing would be required [in accordance with policy].

“However, in this particular case, the unit being proposed would not be suitable for long term residential use due to the limited size of the unit. As such, had the proposal been deemed acceptable, the Authority would have imposed a condition restricting the use of the unit to C6 – short term holiday let.

“Given that it would not have then been possible for the unit to benefit from current permitted development rights between C3, C5 and C6 uses, a commuted sum would not have been sought.

“Overall, it is considered that the proposed development would have an unacceptable impact upon residential amenity, and upon the character of the Little Haven Conservation Area.”

The application was refused on grounds including “introducing a significantly greater level of noise and disturbance than the current situation, to the detriment of the residential amenity of neighbouring properties,” and impact on the conservation area.

A previous national park report, based on the second homes council tax premium payable to Pembrokeshire County Council,  has said nearly two-thirds of properties in Little Haven are either second homes or holiday lets.

For the main centres of settlements within the national park, second home rates, at the time of the 2023 report,  were: Tenby 28.07 per cent, Saundersfoot 29.35 per cent, St Davids 20.86 per cent and Newport 30.6 per cent.

For smaller communities within the national park, some of the figures were even higher: Amroth 47.37 per cent, Broad Haven 36.58 per cent, Dale 39.47 per cent, Lawrenny 28.57 per cent, Marloes 29.66 per cent, Moylegrove 22.64 per cent, and Wisemans Bridge 35.71 per cent.

Topping the list, by a large margin, were: Nolton Haven 60 per cent, and 62.96 per cent Little Haven.