The manufacturer of a new superplane for the
Airbus, which has its headquarters in nearby Filton, wants the facility to build wing components for the new A400M military carrier with its joint venture partner, engineering firm GKN Aerospace.
Last month, the aerospace company submitted plans for Airbus Technology Park – a 12-acre scheme, including a 260,000 sq ft building near Filton airfield.
However, the site is too small to build the 45m-long plane, so will now be used for research and development.
A source said: “Airbus has room to build, but 260,000 sq ft isn’t big enough for the A400M, so it and GKN are looking for a larger site.”
The new 400,000 sq ft shed will also be used to build parts for passenger planes including the A380, the world’s largest jumbo jet.
The A400M military transporter, which can carry 116 soldiers, is being developed by OCCAR, a consortium of eight European countries including
The €100m (£78.7m) plane is seen as a long-term replacement for the Hercules aircraft, the world’s most successful troop carrier, built by US firm Lockheed Martin since the 1950s. Atisreal represents Airbus; King Sturge acts for GKN.
? John Lewis Partnership has taken an 80,000 sq ft prelet on an office and warehouse complex at
