Planners to rule on weapons factory extension

L3 Harris has roughly 46,000 employees around the world

Councillors are preparing to decide if an arms manufacturer can permanently keep an extension at its factory in Brighton.

L3 Harris was given permission in 2018 for a temporary annexe on its main building in Home Farm Business Park for five years.

An application to make the permission permanent received over 600 objections and one letter of support.

Brighton & Hove City Council's planning committee will decide on the building’s future at a meeting on 5 June.

Councillors were set to consider the plans in March but delayed the meeting to seek legal advice on the potential implications of the application.

Planning officers say the retention of the extension on a permanent basis is acceptable.

The aerospace and defence company has said losing it could cost jobs.

Temporary permission for the extension ended last year

In December, the Workers for a Free Palestine (WFP) group staged a protest at the site.

The WFP said at the time it was targeting factories which allegedly supply components for arms used by Israeli forces.

Labour, which is the main party at the council, said it would not comment on the application.

However, Labour councillors Theresa Fowler and Mohammed Asaduzzaman have publicly objected to the plans.

Protesters blocked the entrance to the factory in December

Ms Fowler told the BBC: "I object [because] they were given temporary planning permission on the grounds that they would take it down after five years.

"Now that five years has passed, I think they should take it down."

The Green Group of Brighton & Hove, the main opposition at the council, said L3 Harris is "a shameful mark on our city".

"With strong reason to believe that the bomb release mechanisms made here are being used in the Israeli assault on Gaza, which has seen tens of thousands of innocent civilians killed, the council should not be making decisions which enable this in any way," said Green councillor Chloe Goldsmith.

The Conservatives and L3 Harris have been approached for comment.