Airport expansion would be 'life sentence' for local communities say campaigners

Campaigners are urging councillors to go against officers' advice and reject airport expansion plan

Campaigners fighting the expansion of Bristol Airport say giving the scheme the green light will be a ‘life sentence for communities.’

North Somerset Council planning officers are recommending the scheme, which would see passenger numbers soar to 12 million by 2020, be approved.

The authority’s planning and regulatory committee will meet on February 10 to rule on the application.

The Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE) group say giving the green light to the expansion scheme would be a life sentence for communities living around the airport.

And they are urging councillors to reject the recommendation to approve the plans.

John Adams of SBAE said: "This report from officers could have been written by the airport itself.

“It displays no understanding of the climate emergency nor the appalling impact expansion will make on the health of local communities through increased aviation and traffic pollution, deregulated night flights and traffic congestion.

“Airport expansion will suck up to 9,500 cars daily onto the completely inadequate road network leading to the airport site.

“It will harm wildlife, the natural environment and sprawl across the green belt.

"It will bring huge profits to the airport’s Canadian owners but no benefit to the region that can justify the damage caused by expansion.

“This is now the critical phase of the airport application.

“As the bureaucrats take the side of the airport only a thin line of 27 councillors, the members of the North Somerset planning committee, are now left to defend our communities.

“They must not fail us.

“Bristol Airport expansion would effectively suffocate North Somerset, spreading a blanket of thick and destructive greenhouse gases across our towns and villages.

“Bad news for everybody and a life sentence for vulnerable members of the community – the home workers, the elderly, the frail, the sick and our children.

“We call on North Somerset Council to follow the example of Uttlesford Council which has just rejected Stanstead Airport expansion despite support from officers.”

Hundreds of people are expected to pack into Weston Town Hall for the meeting.

A protest march was held at College Green on Friday and a festival of protest is planned ahead of the meeting in Weston, from February 8-10.

The government will have the final say on the plans if councillors give approval.