Major business group backs Bristol Airport expansion appeal
The CBI says expanding Bristol Airport would help the region recover from coronavirus
Last updated 19th Feb 2021
A major British business group has backed Bristol Airport's continued attempts to expand.
Bosses at the airport want to build a new car park and upgrade the terminal so they can boost the number of annual travelers from 10 million to 12 million, but the idea was rejected by North Somerset Council last February.
Councilors voted 18 to seven against the plans, largely for environmental reasons, with an appeal now underway.
The Confederation of British Industry insists the plans would be good for the region.
Ben Rhodes, CBI South West Deputy Director, said: “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.
“Expansion proposals will help meet the region’s growing demand for air travel, create new international opportunities for the South West’s world class businesses, and be a significant step towards the Government’s levelling-up ambitions.
“The increased connectivity which Bristol Airport’s expansion would deliver can be an important part of a South West economic recovery which places sustainability at its heart.”
Since the CBI's statement ,regional bosses have come under fire for seemingly not opposing the airport's plans.
The West of England Combined Authority insists it has not endorsed the idea, but opponents of the plans say the partnership has clearly come out in favour of expansion.
A spokesperson said: “The combined authority responded to the original planning application with a technical response in our role as a neighbouring local transport authority.
“This has not changed, and the combined authority will not be making any further statements during the planning process, which is a matter for North Somerset Council and the Planning Inspectorate.”
That technical response said: “The UK Government is currently developing a new aviation strategy to 2050, which supports maximisation of regional airport runway capacity to accommodate forecast growth in air passenger numbers.
“Within this context, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) supports in principle the expansion of Bristol Airport.”
It said the transport hub’s growth would help the economy grow, cut the need for residents to travel long distances to other airports and attract investment.
Weca scrutiny committee chairman and Bristol green councillor Steve Clarke said that was a “pretty clear endorsement” of the expansion bid.
He said: “There is absolutely no mention by Weca of the negative effects of the proposed expansion including a million tonnes of extra CO2 equivalent gases a year into the high atmosphere (where it is especially damaging), 10,000 extra car journeys a day, a new multi-storey car park on green belt land and many extra summertime night flights.”
Cllr Clarke said it was “the biggest carbon related decision in a generation” and Weca should make clear its members are divided on the issue.
Both Bristol City Council and Bath and North East Somerset Council have come out against the idea.
A Bristol Airport spokesperson said: “The plans to expand capacity at the airport will offer passengers more routes and flights from the South West directly, create jobs, facilitate inward investment and inbound tourism, and support greener and more sustainable, regional economic growth.
“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 carbon neutral for direct emissions by 2025 and a net zero airport by 2050.”
Residents are currently able to submit their views on the plans to the planning inspectorate but the deadline for doing so is Monday (22/02).
After that a public inquiry will be held in July to made a final decision.
Campaigners against the plans have previously called the appeal "a slap in the face".
If you want to comment on the appeal, either for or against, you can do so here, quoting reference APP/D0121/W/20/3259234.