Up in the air Airport’s expansion plan debate rumbles on into night
AMEETING on Bristol Airport’s controversial expansion plans continued to rumble on late last night as the Post went to press.
The Lulsgate Bottom transport hub wants to increase its current capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers per year.
The plans include a thousand more car parking spaces in the green belt.
Recommending approval, officers said the business case for more parking spaces clearly outweighs the harm to the unspoilt land.
Wrington’s councillor Steve Hogg there was a “total imbalance” between the economic benefits that go to the airport, and the burden on residents in terms of health and social costs.
He told the planning and regulatory committee meeting last night: “This will fundamentally damage the relationship between this council and residents for years to come.
“I want to propose in the strongest possible terms we vote against the officers’ recommendation and refuse permission.”
Challenging the officers’ suggestion local authorities have little control over emissions from airports, Mr Hogg said: “We have direct control over the future emissions – we do that by turning down this application.”
Councillor John Ley-Morgan seconded the proposal, saying: “How can we achieve our ambition for carbon neutrality by 2030 if we approve this decision?”
Supporting the application, Unite representative Mark Hutchison said the expansion would create thousands of jobs and bring a huge boost to the economy. Business owners’ expansion was necessary for them to thrive.
Councillor Ciaran Cronnelly said he supported economic growth but “not at any cost”.
David Worskett, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said the economic benefits for the region had been overstated by as much as 50 per cent – a claim strongly refuted by economist James Brass, who spoke in favour of the plans.
The application has been met with 8,800 objections and some 2,400 messages of support.
Cllr Peter Crew said many of the topics raised were not directly related to the planning application, adding: “I can see nothing wrong with the application in planning terms and I am certainly in favour of it.”
Speaking before the meeting, Bristol Airport chief executive Dave Lees told the Post: “We want to provide a local solution for transport connectivity.
“This is important for the city and the region. As we leave the EU, it’s going to be even more important.
“No one wants to belittle the issue of climate change. It’s real. People like flying but we have to deal with carbon. That’s no different from any other industry.
“We aren’t looking to double our capacity. We want to increase from 10 million to 12 million. We need to do things in a measured way.
“We’re taking into account the environmental impact.
“The vision is to expand to 20 million by the mid-2040s but we aren’t looking at that this evening.
“Who knows where people’s views will be in 10 years’ time? Society may change. Things may move on.”
There are three possible outcomes from the planning meeting.
If the planning committee approves the application, the secretary of state will have the final decision on whether the expansion goes ahead.
If the committee votes to refuse planning permission against officer advice, the decision will have to be ratified at a future meeting. Bristol Airport would have the option to appeal.
The third possible outcome is that members could vote to defer their decision.
There is currently only a proposal to refuse the application.
How can we achieve our ambition for carbon neutrality by 2030 if we approve this decision? Councillor John Ley-Morgan