Legal case begins on Bristol Airport expansion plans
North Somerset Council rejected the idea in 2020 before it was approved on appeal and now it's in court
The arguments over whether Bristol Airport should be allowed to expand are being heard for a third time this week (November 8-9) as a legal challenge takes place at Bristol's Civil Court.
Currently the number of passengers that can pass through the airport is capped at 10 million every year but bosses want to increase that to 12 million, saying they would expand the terminal and build a new multi-storey car park to manage it.
The idea was rejected by North Somerset Council in 2020, before being approved by a planning inspector on appeal.
Anti-expansion campaigners then launched a legal challenge, which has led to this week's case, arguing expanding an airport is incompatible with the climate emergency.
It has sparked heated debate on both sides, with the anti-expansion campaign group the Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN), saying they were "truly incensed and insulted" by the decision by a Planning Inspectorate last February to approve the plans on appeal.
"There is a raging appetite to get this ruling quashed," a statement on their website reads.
"BAAN consulted with their barrister, Estelle Dehon, and decided to challenge the Inspectorate’s decision by requesting a Statutory Appeal via the High Court.
"Against the odds, we have been successful in securing a hearing in Bristol for 8th-9th November 2022.
"We are also asking supporters to get involved in putting pressure on local MPs and through letter-writing and visiting surgeries."
The BAAN say a "respectful vigil" is being held outside the court on both days, adding that a "sizeable attendance" is needed to show off the extent of opposition.
They add that a "variety of activities" have been organised including speeches, street performances and singing.
West of England Mayor Dan Norris, who represents Labour and is against the expansion, has announced he will be one of those to address campaigners, on Wednesday (November 9).
He will urge the government to set out a national airport policy that puts the environment first.
“A piecemeal approach does not work”, the Metro Mayor will say.
“If 20 regional airports all individually decide to expand, it would lead to an extra 80 million passengers a year.
"But due to a lack of government policy, no consideration is being given to the combined impact of their additional emissions.
"Treating each regional airport in isolation is artificially minimising the perceived climate impact.”
Officially all the west country's local authorities are against expansion, though Bristol's Mayor Marvin Rees has been much less vocal about it, compared to Mr Norris.
We have received a statement on the case from Bristol Airport.
“Bristol Airport welcomed the decision of the Planning Inspectorate in February to allow our expanded capacity," a spokesperson told us.
"The decision was excellent news for our region’s economy, allowing us to create thousands of new jobs in the years ahead and open up new direct links, and support inbound tourism.
"Since then, we have pushed ahead with our plans for net zero carbon operations by 2030 and our work with partners in the region to decarbonise flight.”
Following the proceedings this week, a decision is not expected for several weeks, or even months.