Bristol Airport expansion given green light by High Court

The expansion of Bristol Airport has been granted permission by the High Court in Bristol.

Environmental campaigners were appealing the decision made by the government to allow the expansion.

North Somerset Council initially blocked the decision for environmental reasons but it was overturned by the Planning Inspectorate.

Bristol Airport Action Network mounted an appeal arguing that planning inspectors were wrong to ignore the impact a larger airport would have on climate change.

A two-day hearing then took place in November and examined whether the government agency acted correctly when granting planning permission in 2022.

This was the latest stage in a long-running legal battle raging since 2018 when the airport proposed the plans which see passenger numbers increase from 10 million to 12 million and flights by 10,420 to almost 86,000 a year.

In his decision, lord justice Lane said expanding the airport would impact the environment but that the decision is for central government, not local.

Demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse in protest of the court ruling

Gathering outside Bristol Civil Justice Centre on Tuesday, shouts of “shame” could be heard as the news was announced to the crowd of activists.

Placards were held aloft with one reading ‘We are on a runway to climate hell’ and members of Extinction Rebellion Youth Bristol campaigners were drenched in fake blood as Bristol Climate Choir sung out into Redcliffe.

Stephen Clarke, from BAAN, which claims the plans will have dire consequences for local people and the environment, said the ruling “shows a total disregard for the climate emergency we are in”.

Clarke said: “The end result of this decision is that the overwhelming voices of opposition of local people and their elected representatives have been ignored.

“This is despite the chaos that will be caused locally through extra traffic congestion, noise and air pollution and the fact that the airport is already the biggest carbon emitter in the region.”

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said: “This is a devastating outcome. It tramples on local democracy and would mean 1000s of extra flights producing a million tonnes of CO2 equivalents every year.”

In a statement, Bristol Airport welcomed the High Court judge’s to decision to uphold the airport’s planning permission to expand, highlight the economic benefits.

It read: “This decision is excellent news for our region’s economy, allowing us to create up to 5,000 new jobs, deliver more international destinations for the South West and South Wales, and invest hundreds of millions of pounds improving the customer experience.

We will do this while working towards our ambitious target of net zero carbon operations by 2030 and we look forward to working with stakeholders and the community to deliver our vision to be everyone’s favourite airport.”

BAAN said it is going to try to take it to the Court of Appeal and demonstration is planned for Saturday at 12pm on College Green to protest the decision.

All photos: Betty Woolerton

Read next:

• ‘This decision could change the course of the aviation industry’ 
• Bristol Airport clashes with anti-expansion campaigners in court
• XY Youth protesters target Airport Flyer bus

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