A major Isle of Wight employer has submitted a planning application to significantly enhance perimeter security at its East Cowes site, warning that the facility is a potential target for protest activity and criminal intrusion.
GKN Aerospace, which works with clients including Airbus and the US Military, has applied to the Isle of Wight Council to install new fencing and security wall toppers on and around its factory at Ferry Road.
The measures include the addition of weld-mesh fencing and anti-climb rotating barriers to prevent unauthorised access, particularly from the riverside.
The company says a recent corporate security audit revealed vulnerabilities in the existing boundary walls, identifying access points that could be exploited by waterborne trespassers and through adjacent properties where stockpiled items make it easier to scale perimeter defences.
In a formal declaration submitted with the application, GKN Aerospace has said:
“Our site has been identified as a potential target due to its strategic role in sensitive production.
“We are increasingly exposed to hostile protest activity, targeted trespassing, and coordinated attempts to disrupt operations. These incidents are no longer symbolic – they pose a real risk of harm to personnel and property.
“The threat of personal harm to our employees is now a serious concern. We employ over 1,000 staff, and their safety is paramount.”
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The proposed fencing solution includes a 3-metre high steel mesh perimeter and the installation of ‘Vandgard’ anti-climb rotating toppers. GKN says this offers a safer and more modern alternative to barbed wire, while still meeting stringent security requirements set out by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA).
A second, near-identical application has been lodged for a separate but adjoining ancillary building, which is also part of the wider East Cowes operation.
The applications highlight the site’s longstanding industrial use and economic importance, arguing that the security upgrades are not only necessary but in the public interest:
“Any disruption to operations—whether through theft, vandalism, or protest-related interference—would have immediate and far-reaching economic consequences.
“A successful intrusion could lead to shutdowns, loss of investor confidence, and potential job losses affecting over 1,000 families in the community.”
If approved, the works would support ongoing defence and aerospace manufacturing contracts and help secure the site’s future as a “Centre of Excellence” for composite materials.
