Weston set for final day of Bristol Airport Inquiry
For the past few months experts have heard arguments for and against the Airport's expansion
Last updated 8th Oct 2021
An inquiry looking into whether Bristol Airport should be allowed to expand, is due to end today.
It started back in July and has seen lawyers, representing groups both for and against expansion offering their arguments.
It comes after North Somerset Council voted to reject expansion back in February 2020 citing environmental concerns; a decision the airport then appealed against.
Bristol Airport wants to increase its annual passenger cap from 10 million to 12 million, expand the terminal and build a new multi-storey car park on site, but discussing the plans last year the council concluded the proposals were incompatible with their declaration of a climate emergency.
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees has refused to state publicly whether he is in favour of the plans or not, saying instead that he simply wants to see an overall reduction in carbon emissions, which he argues could happen even if the airport does expand.
In contrast West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris has publicly stated his opposition to the idea, sharing North Somerset Council's view that expansion cannot be allowed during a climate crisis.
During a meeting of all the region's leaders on September 21, during which they formally announced their opposition to expansion, he said "the people are ahead of the politicians" on the issue.
"We have to reduce our CO2 emissions by 10 per cent a year, year on year," he said.
"That is not easy but we should really try to do it and that’s why we need moral leadership today with this motion."
Kevin Guy who leads Bath and North East Somerset Council, South Gloucestershire Council leader Toby Savage and Don Davies who leads North Somerset Council all backed the motion, but deputy mayor of Bristol Craig Cheney who was representing Bristol City Council, abstained.
Several protests have been held in Weston Super Mare over the past year against expansion, run largely by climate group Extinction Rebellion.
Bristol Airport's argument for expansion centres around two key points.
Firstly, that expansion and the increase in passenger numbers would help grow the regions economy to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds and several hundred jobs.
Secondly, the airport's bosses claim that denying expansion would not actually lead to any material improvements regarding the climate crisis, above and beyond what is already being done.
Their argument follows that the extra demand for flights would simply lead passengers to travel further afield to fly, therefore creating more carbon emissions than would created be if they were able to fly from Bristol.
Among those backing the airport's view is the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which released a statement in support in Februrary 2021.
“Bristol Airport is one of the key drivers of prosperity for North Somerset, Bristol, and the South West, supporting nearly 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and contributing around £1.7bn to the regional economy," their chief executive Ben Rhodes said.
“The increased connectivity which Bristol Airport’s expansion would deliver can be an important part of a South West economic recovery (from coronavirus) which places sustainability at its heart.”
Dave Lees, chief executive of Bristol Airport said at the time: “Expansion at Bristol Airport will spur growth in the South West and increase the rate at which jobs are created, replacing those lost at the airport during the current crisis.
"Although demand is temporarily suppressed, it is forecast to return to pre-pandemic levels in the coming years.
"The sector has been operating at close to capacity for some time and expansion at regional airports will allow growth to benefit all regions across the UK.”
Although the inquiry is due to end today, we are not expecting a final decision on expansion for some time.
The three inspectors hearing the arguments, Philip Ware, Claire Searson and Dominic Young, will then be giving time to evaluate all the evidence, plenty of which has been provided over the 36 total days of hearings.
To mark the end of proceedings Bristol Airport has released the following statement:
"“Sustainable development has always been at the centre of Bristol Airport’s plans.
"The expansion proposals sit alongside a roadmap which sets out how the airport will achieve its ambition to become a net zero airport by 2030.
"Bristol Airport is taking its responsibilities in addressing climate change challenges seriously, and is collaborating and taking a strategic lead with the aerospace sector in the region to reduce emissions as quickly as possible.
"Looking at solutions now and in the future, and in doing so creating thousands of new green jobs.
“Bristol Airport’s plans to expand capacity from 10 million passengers per annum to 12 million passengers per annum will open up the opportunity of more direct routes to North America and the Middle East, creating jobs, inward investment, inbound tourism, supporting greener and more sustainable, regional economic growth.
“By preventing Bristol Airport from meeting demand for air travel from within the region it serves, will simply exacerbate the situation which already sees millions of passengers a year from our region drive to London airports in order to fly, creating carbon emissions and congestion in the process.”