Bristol Airport expansion plans approved by High Court
It could end a legal battle that first began in 2020
Last updated 31st Jan 2023
Plans to expand Bristol Airport have been approved by the High Court, after a legal challenge brought by climate campaigners.
An announcement has been made outside Bristol's Civil Court this morning (January 31), following a two day hearing held last November.
It could bring to an end a long running legal saga that first started in 2020, when North Somerset Council rejected the airport's expansion plans, citing fears over climate change.
The plans were then approved on appeal by a planning inspectorate before climate campaigners launched a legal challenge, which has led to this decision today.
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.
Many of the region's local authorities including Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority have previously expressed opposition to the idea, saying it doesn't match up with their declarations of a climate emergency.
That includes the local Green Party, with Cllr Carla Denyer calling the decision a "devastating outcome".
"We must listen to scientists, not the airports"
In a statement, Cllr Denyer says "Bristol airport’s unnecessary expansion will mean thousands of extra flights which will produce one million tonnes of CO2 equivalents every year, right at the point we most need to be reducing our emissions.
"As the government’s own committee on climate change has pointed out, airport expansion is completely incompatible with our commitments on climate change.
"Unfortunately, both the Conservatives and Labour want to have their cake and eat it when it comes to climate change, claiming to support climate action but unwilling to accept any change from business as usual. In the real world there is no such thing as green aviation or carbon neutral jet fuel."
Criticism has also come from the West of England Metro Mayor, Dan Norris - who says "for all their warm words, this decision show the Government is not serious about the climate emergency".
"This must change. We are all seeing the devastating effects of climate change with floods in Keynsham a few weeks ago and record breaking temperatures this summer. So many plants and animals are under threat of being lost for ever.”
"Excellent news for our region's economy"
However, Bristol Airport are welcoming the decision, saying it will expand their Airport's capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers per year.
In a statement, they say it's excellent news for the region's economy, and could create up to 5,000 new jobs, deliver more international destinations and invest hundreds of millions of pounds in improving customer experiences.
"We will do this while working towards our ambitious target of net zero carbon operations by 2030 and we look forward to working with stakeholders and the community to deliver our vision to be everyone’s favourite airport.”