Devonport

Devonport Dockyard, which plays host to the refitting of the Trident nuclear submarines, is situated in the City of Plymouth on the banks of the River Tamar. The rivers, sea and surrounding countryside of Plymouth complete a beautiful environment. However, this environment is now seriously polluted in a literal sense by all the waste connected with nuclear technology, as well as in a moral and political sense.

Plymouth has been a centre for naval activity from before the Tudor period but it was not until the late 17th century that the first dedicated docks and workshops were built at Devonport. Expansion continued through the 18th and 19th centuries along with the introduction of the latest technologies. A Naval Hospital and Barracks and Victualling stores were added and the final extension was to South Yard in the 1950s. Since then the workforce has declined from a peak of 40,000 to some 4,000 persons today.

Government investment in Devonport has continued with the construction of the Submarine Refit Complex in 5Basin in the 1980s for nuclear powered (but conventionally armed) vessels. Conversion of 9Dock, originally built for Dreadnought battleships, to take the Vanguard class submarines began in the late 1990s. Neighbouring 10Dock is also capable of berthing one of Vanguard’s sister ships in an emergency. HMS Vanguard arrived at Devonport on 3rd February 2002 for a two year refit and refuelling. Most operations within Devonport are now run by a privatised company - DML. A chain of ownership can be traced from DML to the Texan multi-national Halliburton, whose chief executive used to be Dick Cheney.

Despite a shrinking workforce and reduction in area at Devonport Dockyard there is still a belief in Plymouth that it is a naval town and the Dockyard is vital for economic survival. Politically the Trident submarine refits have placed Plymouth in an economic trap since Devonport Dockyard would prosper much better without Trident. Indeed, one of the reasons Devonport was chosen rather than other dockyards such as Rosyth is because it was believed that there is little opposition here. The fact is that most opposition to it is stifled and ridiculed by the interested parties who have deluded themselves and others that the Trident contract is good for the economy. In reality Plymouth is Britain’s most nuclear city, housing both redundant nuclear submarines and the current T and V classes. There are plans to store up to 27 reactors on land within the dockyard and the government are planning the new "Astute" class of nuclear subs.

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