Bristol Airport Consultation On Further Expansion Branded As ‘Bonkers’
Bristol Airport has undertaken a consultation with local residents ahead of a proposed planning application that is expected to be submitted in the Summer of 2025 which will seek to grow the number of passengers from the current 10.4 million to 15 million per year by 2036.
The Airport’s plans include a bigger terminal, further parking on green belt land, 14,000 extra flights which would include 1,000 more nightfllights and an extension to the runway making flights to more distant destinations such as East Coast of America and the Middle East more possible.
The airport’s ambition has been labelled as ‘completely bonkers’ by Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) and ‘dangerous’ by the local Green Party. It was only just over two years ago that the airport secured permission to expand from 10 million to 12 million passengers per annum (mppa) after a lengthy four-year legal battle by opposition groups. Naturally, local residents are angry that they have been asked to respond to a consultation on a further expansion without knowing the full impact of 12 mppa on the community and environment which is likely to subject residents to more traffic congestion, further noise from 1,000 more night flights, worsening air quality and the fear of more GHG emissions.
BAAN members made sure they were present with banners and leaflets at the three in-person consultation events organised by the airport. Many people regarded the consultation exercise as a ‘tick box’ exercise that would have little bearing on the decision to expand. To counteract the proposals the campaign group has created an Alternative Master Plan which prioritises the needs of the local community and environment over the greedy motives of profit and shareholder value. See here: bit.ly/AlternativeMasterPlan They are also conducting their own survey which can be completed here: bit.ly/BAANSurvey
Events are keenly covered by the local TV, radio and newspaper media outlets who have given plenty of airtime and column inches to the valid concerns of local people and campaign groups. Some commentators have been astonished at the airport proposals coming so soon after the last expansion.
Local MPs have already voiced their concerns over the further expansion plans including Carla Denyer (Bristol Central) for the Green Party, Wera Hobhouse (Bath) for Liberal Democrats and Dan Norris (North East Somerset and Hanham) for Labour. City, town and parish councils are also discussing their opposition to the proposed growth of the airport
At the same time the owners, Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan (OTPP) are exploring putting Bristol Airport up for sale along with London City, Birmingham, Brussels and Copenhagen airports. It is thought that OTTP is putting pressure on Bristol Airport to ascertain planning permission in a bid to increase its value.
It remains to be seen how the decisions on expanding Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton have on regional airports as the call for an urgent accumulative assessment of the impacts of growth of UK aviation.