Protesters against the expansion of Bristol Airport still “have eyes on” the airport and its impacts
Protesters against the expansion of Bristol airport made it clear they still “have eyes on” the airport, at a demonstration on 22nd June. Members of Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN), Extinction Rebellion and the local community joined forces on a roundabout at the airport’s entrance to tell the world they are still watching – despite plans to expand the airport being approved. The network has been campaigning against expansion proposals for over four years, during which time the application was refused planning permission by North Somerset Council before the government stepped in to overturn the decision. A further appeal was rejected by the High Court in January this year, giving the airport the greenlight to expand from 10 to 12m passengers per year. Local people say they are already experiencing problems caused by increased flights, night flights, more traffic on rural roads and traffic congestion. Protesters are concerned about extra carbon emissions and the building of a multi-storey car park on local greenbelt land. Despite their pleas being ignored, protesters want the authorities to know they will continue to hold the airport to account.
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BRISTOL AIRPORT PROTESTORS: ‘WE ARE WATCHING YOU’
By URSULA BILLINGTON, (Bristol 247)
Thursday June 22, 2023
Protesters made it clear they still have eyes on Bristol Airport at a demonstration on Wednesday.
Members of Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN), Extinction Rebellion and the local community joined forces on a roundabout at the airport’s entrance to tell the world they are still watching – despite plans to expand the airport being approved.
The network has been campaigning against expansion proposals for over four years, during which time the application was refused planning permission by North Somerset Council before the government stepped in to overturn the decision.
A further appeal was rejected by the High Court in January this year, giving the airport the greenlight to expand from 10 to 12m passengers per year.
Protesters tell Bristol airport “We are watching you” at a demonstration on June 21 – photo: Ursula Billington
Local people say they are already experiencing problems caused by increased flights, traffic congestion and dangerous illegal on surrounding roads.
One protester told Bristol24/7 she lives at the beginning of the flight path, where planes drop low to the ground causing disruptive noise pollution.
She said she had noticed an increase in night flights and a build up of traffic through her village on the outskirts of Bristol.
“I was awake from midnight to 3am the other night and heard six planes come in,” she said.
“We’re already seeing lots more cars on our country roads. It’s supposed to be a very quiet village!”
Protesters are concerned about extra carbon emissions and the building of a multi-storey car park on local greenbelt land.
They also feel the decision to expand has been a betrayal of democracy, after thousands of local people objected to initial proposals.
Of the 11,000 comments on the airport’s initial proposal, nearly 80 per cent were objections.
Local MP Liam Fox, West of England metro mayor Dan Norris, Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council all supported local opinion.
Protesters are concerned about carbon emissions, traffic congestion, noise pollution and new building on greenbelt land – photo: Ursula Billington
But despite their pleas being ignored, protesters want the authorities to know they will continue to hold the airport to account.
Steve Clarke, spokesman for BAAN, said the airport should not get complacent.
“We want to remind the airport we’re watching them,” he said.
“We’re watching what they do in terms of the conditions they had to agree to get the planning permission and what their future plans are.
“They aren’t going to stop at 12m passengers – they’ve published plans to go to 20m. We think if they really want to do that, they’ll put in another planning application quite soon.
“They thought they’d get this one through in three months and it’s taken four years and counting, because we’ve delayed them. Delay has always been our friend.”
Clarke said the protesters haven’t lost hope despite the ups and downs of the last four years.
“The scientists say the expansion will create a million tons of additional carbon a year.
“We’ve saved four million tons of carbon just by campaigning. In context – the whole of Bristol’s road transport produces only half a million tons a year.
“We’re in a time of climate crisis – this decision is completely mad.
“To be clear – we’re not trying to close Bristol airport. We just say it’s big enough.”
Extinction Rebellion were present at the protest, which was greeted by honks of support from passing cars
Clarke suggests carbon neutral flights are a long way off. Government targets are set at only 10 per cent sustainable aviation fuel by 2030, while the amount of people flying is increasing by two to three per cent a year.
“Technology isn’t going to save us,” he said.
“The only way to do it is to fly less. It’s been proved time and again – build more roads, you get more cars. Expand airports, more people fly. 20 other UK airports have expansion plans. We need to put a stop to it now.”
Meanwhile, France has banned domestic flights where train alternatives are available and Amsterdam is discussing banning private jets, in efforts to mitigate the climate emergency.
Bristol Airport say the expansion will provide 800 jobs at the airport and up to 5,000 regionally, “with a focus on the region’s most deprived areas.”
They estimate it will contribute £430m to the local economy.
https://www.bristol247.com/climate/news-climate/bristol-airport-protestors-we-are-watching-you/
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See earlier:
Appeal Court rejects application by BAAN to appeal against Bristol Airport expansion decision
In January the High Court ruled that the airport’s major expansion plans could go ahead following a lengthy legal battle, but local group Bristol Airport Action Network appealed against the decision. Now that appeal has been “refused on all grounds”. by the Court of Appeal. A ruling found that there was not “real prospect of success” of the challenge and no other compelling reason for to allow it. The airport plans to expand its maximum capacity from 10m to 12m passengers a year, had initially been refused planning permission by North Somerset Council in January 2020. The airport’s owner Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan later appealed to the Government, and the decision was overturned by the Planning Inspectorate in February 2022. BAAN has been fighting ever since, and commented that “The airport can now expand by an extra 2 million passengers a year, build a multi-storey car park on Greenbelt land, massively increase the number of summer night flights and congest the local roads with an extra 10,000 cars a day.” As well as hugely increase its carbon emissions. BAAN says “the planning system concerning airport expansion has been rigged by the government to ignore the climate crisis.”
Click here to view full story..
High Court has ruled that expansion of Bristol Airport will be allowed to go ahead – BAAN to appeal
Campaigners against the expansion of Bristol airport legally challenged the decision of the Planning Inspectorate (PI), a year ago. The High Court has now ruled that the expansion can go ahead. North Somerset Council rejected the expansion in 2020 on environmental grounds but that decision was later overruled by the PI. Expansion would see the airport increase its capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers per year. Opponents of the growth, through the Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN), are very disappointed, but are already planning on challenging the ruling. BAAN has been arguing planning inspectors were wrong to ignore the impact a bigger airport would have on climate change. In his decision Lord Justice Lane said expanding the airport would impact the environment but that the decision is for central government not local. There is no proper law on UK aviation, or any legal means to control cumulative CO2 emissions from many airport expansion. The Climate Change Committee say there are big risks in the airline industry hoping for low carbon fuels in future, and recommend that “there should be no net expansion of airport capacity”.
Click here to view full story… See link for photos
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