Defence agency invites Elling neighbours to individual meetings

Neighbours of a planned ammunition factory in Elling have been offered individual meetings with the head of the Danish Ministry of Defence’s Acquisition and Logistics Organisation, Per Pugholm Olsen, DR reports. The offer follows a heated public meeting where residents raised concerns about the project.

Some neighbours fear for their safety living close to a factory that will produce highly explosive powder, and worry it could be targeted for sabotage.

Hanne Olesen, whose property shares a fence with the planned factory, has accepted a meeting but says the offer has come too late. She said she had been led to believe at a meeting about a year ago that a solution would be found for her situation, but that nothing had happened since.

“I’m afraid I’ll end up wasting my time. But I have to believe they’ll listen,” she said. Olesen, who lives closest to the factory, said she did not think it was reasonable to have it as a neighbour and wanted to move.

Tony Lenda, another neighbour who accepted a meeting, said he wanted to deliver one message: “We are afraid.” He said residents feared drone attacks and sabotage, as well as the possibility that something could happen inside the factory.

The conversations are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday next week. The Acquisition and Logistics Organisation said in its invitation that the meetings were not intended to present new information, but to give neighbours a chance to speak and ask questions.

Olesen said the lack of a clear agenda made her anxious. DR was unable to interview Per Pugholm Olsen or the organisation.