Bristol International Airport Master Plan

The Master Plan was the major item on the agenda at North Somerset Council on in late February 2007 (apart from the minor issue of the budget!).

There were 11 speakers, all opposed to the expansion plans. They included Noel Brailsford and David Birdsall who spoke from their position of aviation expertise, Justin Milward who spoke on the environment, the Chairman of both Cleeve and Barrow Gurney Parish Councils, residents of Worle and Weston-super-Mare and Wrington.

There was a motion to reject the Master Plan by Cllr Mike Bell (Lib Dem) which was not supported and another not to consider it at all until the information was available, again not supported.

The following was finally agreed.

‘that the Bristol International Airport Master Plan be noted and the Airport advised of this Council’s significant concerns regarding the following issues:

(1) the absence of a viable and sustainable surface access strategy, evidenced by the anticipated growth in private vehicle movements on roads in the area, the proposed growth in onsite parking spaces and their proposed expansion outside the original airport perimeter, and the lack of sufficient compensatory subsidised public transport services;

(2) the need for independent environmental and biodiversity impact assessment prior to any development being authorised to answer anticipated growth in noise and other pollution issues arising from aircraft and motor cars, and also light pollution and water run-off from existing and planned hard surfaces together with an assessment of potential solutions:

(3) the need to identify committed funding for works to overcome the above issues in (1) and (2) ahead of any new development of the airport services, including Regional Assembly, Government and private funding allocations;

(4) the need for an independent assessment into the economic cost/benefit impact on local and regional businesses as a result of the proposed retail expansion, onsite hotel and monopolised car parking and taxi services;

(5) the need to consider any other detailed issues raised through the Council’s internal and public consultation and the officers’ conclusions.

(6) we call for full consideration of the Stern Report relating to Climate Change effects of an expanded Airport. We particularly note the apparent contradictions of expanding Bristol Airport whilst calling for reductions in emissions from Bristol Industry in order to attain Government targets within our Kyoto Treaty obligations, and as outlined in the Regional Economic Strategy of the SWRA.’