More Trouble for Airport Expansions: Can Bristol's Plans Hold?

south west | transport | news report Tuesday December 16, 2008 11:31 by AirportWatch - SouthWestWatch

News to the M.A.X with SouthWestWatch: More trouble for local airport

More trouble for Bristol Airport as a minor expansion of the car park annoys the neighbours and nationally, airport expansion becomes even more of a hot potato.

So under 'permitted development' rules where the work alters or modifies an existing, residents in Downside Road woke up to find trees being cut down and a a car park being built. But of the PR blow for the airport; "Lynzie Gadd, 43, has lived at her cottage at Downside Road for five years and said the car park was being built alongside her rear garden. Lynzie, who is five months pregnant, said: "This car park is going to have a real impact on us enjoying our garden – it will literally be next door. "The first thing I knew about it was when I saw the workmen on site and we've not been told anything about this work by the airport. "The conifers do provide not only some privacy from the airport, but also a sound buffer from the noise of the plane engines. "The airport has said it will plant more trees to shield properties from the car park, but these are not going to grow overnight. "I'm also concerned why we weren't informed by North Somerset Council." Ms Gadd, an exams officer, added: "I know there's a badger sett in the paddock as I've seen the tracks and there are deer which live in the area. Apparently the airport has done an environmental impact survey, but I don't think they've really taken the wildlife issues into consideration." http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/homepage/New-airport-car....html

The confusion of the residents is mirrored at a national level of airport expansions as the cabinet is split over such plans; "Hilary Benn, the environment secretary, lifted the lid yesterday on the Cabinet-level debate on the expansion of Heathrow, saying the government must not contemplate allowing itself to breach air pollution limits set by the European commission. His intervention could potentially put a break on government expansion plans. Air pollution around Heathrow already exceeds limits set by the commission and Britain is expected to seek a temporary abrogation from an air pollution directive agreed in June, but only on the basis that it will be able to meet the pollution requirements by 2015, the deadline set by the commission. Britain will have to satisfy the commission that Heathrow's expansion will not undermine Britain's ability to meet its commitments by 2015. Much of the pollution around Heathrow is caused by heavy traffic on the nearby motorway, and critics of the expansion claim it defies logic to suggest that the airport will be able to meet the commission requirements by 2015, since a third runway is planned that would increase air traffic, passenger numbers and vehicle journeys to the airport." http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/dec/15/environmen...throw

Bearing in mind the final level of a controversial planning application could be the Secretary of State, the top-level government debate is a great importance, and now the airports have got 'Lord Mandy' onside; "Just 24 hours after Environment Secretary Hilary Benn warned that EU pollution laws must not be breached by a third runway, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson came out fighting the case for a bigger Heathrow. A source said: “Peter will be one of the ministers in Cabinet making the case strongly for a third runway, reflecting the views of businesses.” Lord Mandelson lined up alongside Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon and Prime Minister Gordon Brown supporting a third runway providing the environmental conditions can be met." http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23601732...le.do

All this against a backdrop of dropping passenger numbers, with BAA reporting one million fewer passengers this November compared with November last year.