Bristol Airport decision still in balance

4.3.2010 (Stop Bristol Airport Expansion)

 

Campaigners fighting against Bristol Airport’s (BIA) ambitious expansion plans
have welcomed North Somerset Council’s (NSC) move last night to delay making a
decision on the proposals, saying that the final outcome remains uncertain and
there is still everything to play for.

 

Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE) said that NSC have done the responsible
thing in referring the BIA planning application to a more senior planning committee
as district councillors made it very clear that the application still has many
serious unresolved issues.

 

The group highlighted that BIA’s application contravenes many of NSC’s own local
planning policies and that there is a vacuum in NSC’s  planning policies to support BIA’s plans

 

SBAE  also emphasised their concern over one Councillor’s summing up at the end
of the discussion which suggested that turning down the application could lose
money offered by BIA for traffic improvements.

 

SBAE spokeswoman Hilary Burn said:

 

“We’re very pleased with the outcome of last night’s meeting. The decision has
not yet been made and we still have everything to play for.   There are still major issues to be resolved such as a lack of coherent Council
policy guidance.

 

“We are also particularly concerned that certain district councillors appear
to be more interested in gaining funds than properly weighing up the impacts of
the airport’s expansion.   Councillors should be focusing on the impacts and not
on any financial incentives from the airport.”"

 

The campaigners also said that BIA has not yet proved the “very special circumstances”
that would allow it to park cars on green belt land and that the alternatives
have not been properly examined.

 

Hilary Burn said: “Instead of planning a hotel, which would be in direct competition
with other local businesses, BIA could easily preserve green belt land by using
the space for car parks, which should also be double decked as was originally
promised.”"

 

ENDS

 

For media enquiries contact Susan Pearson on: 07891 460942

 

For more information visit: www.stopbia.com 

 

 

Stop Bristol Airport Expansion Limited

 

 

 

More news and information about Bristol Airport

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Bristol Airport decision delay gives us hope, says campaigners

 
This is Bristol   4.3.2010
 
 

 

Campaigners fighting the airport expansion proposals said the decision to further
delay a final decision on the scheme was “fantastic”.

Although the vote went in favour of recommending the plans to North Somerset Council‘s planning and regulatory committee, residents and councillors opposed to the
£150 million expansion plans were pleased that no decision was made.

They welcomed the opportunity for the proposals to be investigated further when
they are discussed again in
Weston-super-Mare’s Town Hall later this year.

Georgie Bigg of the Campaign to Protect Rural England lives a few miles from
the airport, in Wrington. She spoke at the start of last night’s meeting and afterwards
she said: “I think the decision made tonight still gives us hope.

“We heard some sensible comments tonight.




“Although it won’t be a new team completely who discuss it next time, it will
be a new group and new eyes looking at it.

“I have to say, though, that I was disappointed at the eagerness of some councillors
to approve it.

“There are substantial things not covered in the officers’ report and I don’t
think they have looked properly at the planning policy.

“I think if this is given the go-ahead, North Somerset Council is put in a very
difficult position with the greenbelt – it will be a very damaging decision for
the future.”

Ann Parkinson has lived in Barrow Gurney for 20 years.

She said: “If the airport has to expand then it has to be done in a way that
protects the residents of North Somerset.

“We are not against the expansion of the airport, but local residents should
be protected before everything else.

Dr Parkinson expressed frustration at council officers for recommending the plans
for approval.

She said: “I am quite pleased that it is going to another committee as I would
like to see more debate.”

Hilary Burn, who lives in Cleve, spoke in the meeting as chairman of the Parish Councils
Airport Association, representing 24 parishes.

She said after the meeting: “It’s a fantastic delay that we welcome.

“I was worried that some of the councillors seemed to concerned with losing out
on the planning gains and money that would come with the expansion. I will be
back for the next stage of the debate. We have not lost anything at all tonight.
This is a really positive result.

“It could have ended tonight – and with that vote it would have been allowed
to go ahead. But now we move forward.”
 
link to article
 
 
 
 
also
 
Jack FM
 

Delay In Approving Bristol Airport Plans

Thursday, March 4th 2010


Councillors in North Somerset last night have recommended it for approval but
it’s now up to the planning committee.

Bristol Airport say they’re pleased at last night’s decision – which recommended
their £150m expansion plans get the green light.

Members of North Somerset Council – who represent the areas directly affected
– were expected to give it the final go ahead last night.

But they recognised it was a controversial scheme so have asked the council’s
full planning committe to now make the decision.

They don’t meet again until April 28th – unless a special meeting is organised
before.

Campaigners are also pleased though after  the delay in the process.

People from the Stop Bristol Airport Expansion group say it now means they’ve
got more time to campaign