Families question safety rules near planned ammunition factory
Wednesday 30th September 2026 on 06:15 in
Denmark
Families living inside a safety zone around a planned ammunition factory in Elling say they have not received clear answers about the risks to their homes and children, DR reports.
Pernille Søs Mathisen and Lucas Mathisen live about 450 metres from the factory with their 16-month-old twins. Their home is among roughly 100 houses in the zone, where restrictions prohibit facilities including nurseries, schools, assembly halls, hospitals and high-rise buildings.
The couple say they were told about the general rules last November but still do not know whether they can hold a children’s birthday party at home or how the factory could affect their property’s value. Their greatest concern is their children’s safety.
“If a nursery is not allowed in the safety zone, I don’t understand why children are allowed to live here,” Pernille Søs Mathisen said. “We don’t feel safe here with our own children.”
The family bought the house shortly before the Defence Ministry announced plans for a new, larger ammunition factory on the site of the former Krudten factory. Lucas Mathisen said they would not have bought the property if they had known about the plans. The factory is expected to be ready to produce its first shells and cartridges in mid-2027.
The couple say they want to move and hope the state will offer compensation or buy homes from residents who wish to leave. They and about 30 other households have formed an association to raise concerns about how authorities have handled the issue.
Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said he understood residents’ concerns and that the armed forces had held public meetings where people and businesses in Elling could raise potential problems. He said he was willing to consider compensation if residents experienced significant or long-term effects from the factory.
The armed forces are due to update residents at a meeting on Wednesday, September 30. The Defence Ministry’s Materiel and Procurement Agency declined to comment before the meeting.