A match-making firm in Bristol which was fined £17,500 four years ago after an explosion at its factory is asking for permission to store more low-grade explosives on site.

The move is opposed by ward councillor John Kiely (Lib Dem, Easton) who claims there are too many unanswered questions to give consent.

The firm, Octavius Hunt, has been based in Dove Lane, Redfield, for more than 100 years and is now the last match-making firm in Britain.

It also imports sparklers for indoor use and makes a range of smoke products for uses such as finding blockages in drains and as a pesticide in enclosed areas.

The firm had to reduce the amount of low-grade explosive which was stored on site after low-cost homes were built nearby which led to the re-alignment of a footpath. It is now asking for a variation of its licence to increase the amount of storage but would still be less than what it was allowed to store previously.

Councillors are being recommended to give permission when they meet to discuss the issue next Tuesday.

A report before them says: "The site has been licensed since 1906 and it will be difficult to argue that it is not a suitable site for the storage of explosives.

"This application is for a variation to that licence to enable the business to increase its storage.

"It should be noted that this proposed increase is still below historic levels."

Councillor Kiely has written to the licensing committee outlining his concerns. He said: "There are a number of very serious questions about the operation of this factory that needs answering.

"This is densely populated area, with older persons' bungalows and other residential properties within yards of this site. Local residents are rightly concerned about having a firework factory, storing explosive material on their doorstep."

He said he was also "unimpressed" with the Health and Safety Executive's failure to make its inspections available to the committee. He said the committee could not be expected to issue a licence without knowing all the facts.

Earl Coates, the firm's quality and health and safety manager, said the increased storage would only be for novelty sparklers and other items such as party poppers.

He said they were the kind of items found on supermarket shelves but because of strict regulations, they were classed as low-grade explosives. He said: "There is no increased risk to the public."

He said that a draft licence had already been issued by the Health and Safety Executive which it would not have done unless it had been happy with the firm's storage arrangements.

A spokesman for HSE said it had not sent the council all the information requested in relation to its inspections as it was "not directly relevant to the assent process" but had now agreed to release it following a Freedom of Information request from the authority.

The spokesman said: "The information requested went significantly above and beyond what would normally be considered against the requirements for assent."

A spokesman for HSE said it had not sent the council all the information requested in relation to its inspections as it was "not directly relevant to the assent process" but had now agreed to release it following a Freedom of Information request from the authority.

The spokesman said: "The information requested went significantly above and beyond what would normally be considered against the requirements for assent.

"HSE agreed with the local authority that the information contained in letters and reports relating to the last two inspections at the site would be produced following receipt of Freedom of Information request.

"That request has been received and HSE is the process of sending the information to Bristol City Council."

He added: "The local authority may withhold its assent if it believes that the site is not suitable for the manufacture or storage of explosives due to the presence of vulnerable sections of the population (young children, the sick or elderly) in the immediate area of the site, for example if a building housing a school, hospital or old people's home were immediately adjoining an explosives site.

"This judgement is one that is more appropriate to the local authority than to HSE.

"Only evidence on these issues should be regarded as relevant to the authority's decision."