A company is set to transform a former aircraft hangar into a facility for building electric cars, promising a product that is "wholly Welsh-built," after receiving planning consent from the local council. Morris Commercial Ltd has been granted permission by Vale of Glamorgan Council to repurpose an aircraft hangar in Bro Tathan as an assembly plant for electric vehicles.
The proposal received overwhelming support from councillors on the planning committee during the approval meeting. Councillor Nic Hodges remarked, "It's about time we had an automotive industry we can count on in Wales." Councillor Mark Wilson added, "This is the sort of development that we very much need in southeast Wales," while Councillor Eddie Williams noted the proposal has "so many pluses."
Dana Williams, speaking on behalf of the company, stated that the site would produce a "wholly Welsh-built product" and bring "advanced manufacturing positions" and "high-skill employment" to the local community. Planning documents indicate that the facility is expected to generate approximately 100 jobs in the workshop area and an additional 50 jobs for non-factory staff and paint shop personnel, benefiting the local job market. While the exact breakdown of new jobs is currently unknown, it is anticipated that most will be direct roles, with a small proportion of contractor positions.
The hangar is located on the former Ministry of Defence St Athan airfield, which now hosts a mix of civilian businesses and military personnel from the army and Royal Air Force. The site will be used for the production of the Morris JE, which Ms Williams described as "an all-electric reimagining of the iconic Morris J Type van." She confirmed that the company holds over 6,500 confirmed pre-orders for the vehicle. The company representative emphasized that this development represents "precisely the kind of investment Wales needs to make."
An Aston Martin factory is also situated on the wider Bro Tathan site.
