On the 3 February 2022, plans for a multi-million pound expansion of one of the area’s biggest airports got approval from the Department of Transport after Bristol Airport appealed against the local council’s refusal.
These plans look to increase the number of flights (in-bound by 97,000 a year and outgoing by 23,800), as well as the number of passengers (from 10 million to 12 million a year). Such an increase, the Government hopes, will bring in investment into North Somerset (where it’s located), the City it’s named after and the surrounding counties.
However, these plans were thrown out by the North Somerset County Council on 10 February 2020, citing environmental concerns. This action was supported by Marvin Rees, the Bristol Mayor, the Bristol City Council and the Bath & North East Somerset Council. Dan Norris, the West England Combined Authority Mayor, and his council later threw their support behind the opposition.
Several Councillors and MPs, including Dr. Liam Fox (the North Somerset MP), all voiced their displeasure at the Government’s decision and hope that an appeal to the High Court can overturn this.
However, these kinds of appeals can be expensive for a County Council to make but, considering the amount of support for keeping the airport as it is, it’ll be interesting to see if the other councils don’t help in some way.
Watch this video and make up your own mind.
