Council approves plans for atomic research facility
Councillors have approved controversial plans to build a multimillion-pound research facility at Berkshire's atomic weapons site.
The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), in Aldermaston, maintains warheads for Trident, the UK's nuclear deterrent.
The planning application is to build a replacement hydrodynamics research facility which would be constructed over five years.
West Berkshire Council received 1,331 objection letters against approval.
A small protest was held outside the meeting on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the BBC reported that fire support teams were initially not allowed through the gates of the plant during a fire in August.
AWE said it followed safety procedures and took "extremely prompt" action.
Berkshire Fire Service has said access to the site is a not as "smooth" as it would like.