City council oppose airport expansion plans
25.08.09
Bristol City Council has objected to Bristol Airport's £150m expansions plans, the Evening Post reports. The Council, which previously owned the airport, said in its objection that the expansion will mean more night noise, traffic pollution and climate change, all having an negative impact on people living in Bristol and surrounding areas. Although the expansion plans will be decided by North Somerset Council, the City Council have the opportunity to give their opinion as a neighbouring authority.
The £150m scheme includes an expanded terminal, new multi-storey airport car parks, a new runway apron and demolition of the old terminal. The the expansion is needed to cater for the increase from 6m passengers a year, to 10m by 2020, the airport claims. Public consultation on the expansion plans ended last week and a decision will now be made by a North Somerset Council planning committee.
Bristol City Council raised concerns in a formal letter of objection, claiming the airport had failed to adequately address issues that the council had previously raised. These include noise levels from planes over Bristol, especially early in the morning and late at night. It says that increased airport traffic will reduce air quality and that the airport has failed to provide convincing evidence that its commitment to generate 15% of energy on site from renewable sources is feasible. In any case, it says that this will be insignificant given the overall increase in carbon emissions from flights and increased road traffic. It also believes increased traffic travelling to and from the airport will exacerbate congestion on the city's roads.
Campaigners from Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE) said the city authority had 'got it right'. A spokesman told the newspaper they were ‘delighted’ that the council had objected to the plans.
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