WORK to dismantle Britain's redundant nuclear submarines would be "significantly less hazardous" than processes already carried out at Devonport Dockyard, the Naval Base Commander has said.

Commodore Ian Jess was speaking at a Devonport Local Liaison Committee meeting, in which he was questioned by Plymouth City Councillor Dr David Salter about the public safety impact of dismantling work should it be carried out in the city. Commodore Jess said: "Any potential hazards will be identified and we will put processes in place to deal with them. The ingrained hazard in this [submarine dismantling] process is significantly less than some of the processes that happen here today."

The issue of possible submarine dismantling work at the dockyard was addressed briefly during the first part of the meeting, when presentations on the dockyard and Naval Base's safety records were made by representatives of Babcock Marine and the Royal Navy.

Captain JJ Taylor, responsible for base safety, said Britain currently had 27 decommissioned nuclear submarines and would reach the limits of its capacity to store them intact by 2020.

He said it was desirable to dismantle them as soon as possible.

The subject was brought up again when the meeting was opened up for questions by committee members and the public.

Speaking at the meeting, Ian Avent, of residents' group Cansar, said: "Only two sites are being considered for cutting up and dismantling [Rosyth and Devonport], and with the current political situation in Scotland, I think you can draw your own conclusions."

Roger Hardy, managing director of submarines for Babcock, said it was premature to discuss submarine dismantling at the meeting, as there was still a consultation process to follow.

The final series of consultation events on submarine dismantling is expected to take place early next year. An announcement on preferred locations for the decommissioning is expected in 2010.

The Devonport Local Liaison Committee meeting, held in the Welcome Hall on Fore Street, also heard that radioactive emissions from the base and dockyard were far below the maximum limits set by the environment agency and nuclear watchdogs, and that no significant levels of radioactive material had been found during sampling across the city and beyond.

The panel was also asked about plans to build a waste incinerator within the base.

Although it was pointed out that such discussions were beyond the remit of the committee, Mr Hardy did make clear that no radioactive material would be burned at the plant, should either of the two Devonport plans be chosen by the South West Devon Waste Partnership.

He said: "We will not burn radioactive waste in this city, and nor will our contractors."