CAMPAIGNERS have slammed the decision to give the go ahead for a factory manufacturing parts for nuclear warheads and claim it could lead to a nuclear accident like that in Japan.

Concern came after West Berkshire Council gave AWE Burghfield permission for the second time to build the single-storey building, which will be used to develop the non-nuclear parts of the weaponry and carry out other processes for the development and refurbishment of warheads.

The company originally got the green light back in 2008 and had three years to begin construction, but development of the conventional manufacturing rationalisation (CMR) facility has still not begun and, with permission due to run out in August, AWE has now been granted longer.

The application was granted by the council's eastern area planning committee last night (Wednesday), on condition that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirms it has no objections to the development on nuclear safety grounds.

But campaigners say this is not good enough and Peter Burt, director of Reading-based Nuclear Information Service, said: "Rather than pass the buck back to the Health and Safety Executive I would have liked to have seen the planning committee take a more assertive stand on nuclear safety."

He added: "The nuclear safety regime adopted in the UK is exactly the same as that used in Japan, so the Government is absolutely right to order a review of the implications of the Fukushima accident for the UK nuclear industry. Nuclear developments in the UK should be put on hold until the review has been completed and its recommendations published".

If the HSE has no objections, building work at AWE should begin next year.