Airport Master Plan for next 30 Years - Consultation

[TheLocalYokel]

Another thing that struck me in the video was all the shots of green, open spaces and complaints of flights flying over these and areas of natural beauty. Similar complaints have been made about Gatwick. At Heathrow, the complaints are that aircraft fly over built up, urban areas. So if planes shouldn't fly over open countryside, and they shouldn't fly over urban areas, where should they fly? The answer inevitably is either that they are only concerned about flights in their local area (i.e. NIMBY) or they think all of aviation should be grounded. The former frankly makes them irrelevant, whereas the latter is never going to happen in a globalised civilisation.

The environmental argument has given the chance for 'nimbys' to export their real reasons for objection to airport expansion (not just with BRS) into the climate change debate, thus altering an actual largely selfish standpoint to a seemingly honourable one of fighting to protect the environment.

They do lower their guard at times though. There were many comments amongst BRS objectors that the airport doesn't need to expand because there is plenty of extra capacity at CWL. One parish council went so far as to describe how easy it is to reach CWL from North Somerset. I noted the same thrust with some Southampton objectors where nearby Bournemouth Airport was touted as available.

The point they fail to take into account with this when pushing their environmental claims is that flights displaced from BRS to CWL or from SOU to BOH would still create the same level of emissions that they claim are unsustainable.

Whilst on the subject of SOU, for those who aren't aware the local authority there (Eastleigh Borough Council) rejected the airport's planning application for a 164-metre runway extension. The planning committee sat for over 12 hours on Thursday and again on Friday evening before coming to its decision. It has to be ratified by the full council next month.

So of the four airports with planning applications submitted in the last year or so only one (Leeds-Bradford) was successful. BRS, SOU and Stansted all had their applications rejected despite their councils' own planning officers recommending approval.

 

[Coathanger16]

So of the four airports with planning applications submitted in the last year or so only one (Leeds-Bradford) was successful. BRS, SOU and Stansted all had their applications rejected despite their councils' own planning officers recommending approval.

So if 3 out of 4 councils went against the recommendation of their planning officers, there is clearly something wrong with the process. Whichever side of the argument you sit on (for or against airport expansion), surely we can all agree that either the planning officers aren't doing their jobs properly or the councillors aren't.

Either way, sounds like pretty good grounds for an overhaul of the planning system to me!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

BRS press release - Bristol Airport Local Community Fund grants over £1.1 million to local projects

It's certainly a worthwhile venture and it's good to see it appreciated by Steve Hogg, the North Somerset unitary authority councillor for the large village of Wrington in whose parish the airport is sited.

Cllr Hogg tabled the motion at the planning committee meeting calling for the airport's planning application to be rejected.

Bristol Airport Local Community Fund grants over £1.1 million to local projects

A fund set up to support local community projects around Bristol Airport has made grants totalling more than £1.1 million since it started in 2012.

www.bristolairport.co.uk

Bristol Airport Local Community Fund grants over £1.1 million to local projects​

Created: 31st Mar 2021

A fund set up to support local community projects around Bristol Airport has made grants totalling more than £1.1 million since it started in 2012.

In 2020 the management committee which oversees the Airport Environmental Improvement Fund (known at the Local Community Fund) granted over £93,000 to support 26 local community projects.

Each year Bristol Airport contributes a minimum of £100,000 to the Local Community Fund, with the figure increasing in line with growth in passenger numbers. The Fund’s Management Committee includes representatives from both the Airport and North Somerset Council and is independently chaired.

Last year a total of 26 projects were supported with contributions ranging from £300 to £10,000. This included noise insulation grants for local residents; outdoor play area for West Leigh Infants School; electric adaptive bikes for Strawberry Line Café; Cleeve village hall facilities; and various road safety and traffic calming improvement schemes; support for Winford Community Shop and environmental and learning projects for local schools.

The Fund’s purpose is to help mitigate the impact of the Airport’s operations and to give something back to surrounding communities who are situated in close proximity to the Airport. Projects which could be eligible for support include initiatives to mitigate the impact of aircraft and ground noise, improvements to transport infrastructure, measures to reduce community severance, nature conservation, educational projects and local sustainability initiatives. The Fund’s area of benefit includes the parishes of Winford, Wrington, Backwell, Brockley, Cleeve and Barrow Gurney.

Councillor Steve Bridger said:

“I’m delighted the Community Fund was able to support such an inclusive local project run by such a passionate team. The two adaptive bikes for the Strawberrry Line café will enable those people with additional needs to experience the great outdoors and enjoy the company of others as the COVID restrictions are gradually relaxed.”

Councillor Steve Hogg said:

“I have been greatly encouraged by the number of applications for community funding recently. In particular, I welcome applications from groups who are supporting or promoting initiatives which will benefit local communities (festivals, environmental projects, schools etc) as we come out of the pandemic. The airport makes a significant impact on the lives and living environment of local people, and whilst the community fund cannot address that, it remains an important and viable way for local individuals and groups to secure much needed funding for the benefit of everyone who lives in the surrounding towns and villages.”

Jacqui Mills, Public and Community Relations Manager, Bristol Airport said:

“It is a fantastic achievement to grant over £1.1 million to local community projects in the vicinity of the Airport in recent years.

“After what has been the most challenging year for community groups, it’s great to see so many worthwhile and diverse organisations benefitting with grants from Bristol Airport’s Local Community Fund.

“We are proud of the role we play in our neighbouring communities and are committed to continuing supporting local projects through the Local Community Fund, despite the challenging impacts of Covid.

“We know a grant from the Fund makes a huge difference to those applying, so would encourage local groups looking for funding to contact us.”

For further information please contact the Bristol Airport Local Community Fund Administrator on 01275 473615 or email [email protected].

 

[TheLocalYokel]

BRS's chances of a successful planning appeal might have lessened today with a decision by Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. He was due to decide whether to 'call in' Leeds-Bradford Airport's planning application for a new £150 million state-of-the-art terminal that was approved recently by Leeds City Council Planning Panel. He now says he needs more time to consider his decision. In the meantime the government has issued an order preventing Leeds City Council from granting planning permission without special authorisation.

Part of the reason might be Jenrick's wish to avoid another fiasco when he decided to 'call in' a planning application for a Cumbria coal mine having previously failed to intervene.

Apart from BRS and LBA there are six other airports, including Stansted and Southampton, with plans for expansion. If Jenrick decides to call in the LBA application that would lead to a pubic enquiry.

Of the other airports Stansted is furthest along the line with its appeal public enquiry complete and the result anticipated in the next couple of months or so. Although the planning inspectors could make the decision it now seems certain the minister will 'recover' the matter and make the final decision himself.

He could decide that, taken together, the airports in the planning process represent a matter of national significance that needs to be decided by him. That could mean waiting until the government’s transport decarbonation strategy is published (due in the coming months) that will show how all emissions from transport can be reduced.

The public enquiry element of BRS's appeal is not due until July with a decision not expected anyway until late in the year, so today's decision would probably not put back this timeline but it does make the outcome less certain.

Perversely, the pandemic has taken some of the urgency out of a quick decision in BRS's case as 10 mppa is now not likely to be reached for several years, instead of the pre-pandemic forecast that projected the end of this year.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

More news today that might have a bearing on BRS's planning appeal.

Last month Eastleigh Borough Council planning committee rejected an application from Southampton Airport for a 164-metre runway extension. This was against the advice of the council's panning officers and as a result the matter was put back for the full council to make the decision.

After another marathon session over two days the council came to its decision in the early hours of today which was to approve the application but they set a 3 mppa cap.

There is still the chance that the secretary of state might 'call in' the SOU application to make the final decision himself - my previous post described how he has put off to a later date whether to do so with the Leeds-Bradford application.

However, both with SOU and LBA the respective local authorities finally decided to approve their local airport's planning applications in the face of the current environment lobby blitz on the aviation industry.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Climate change: UK to speed up target to cut carbon emissions

The PM says carbon emissions must fall by almost 80% by 2035 - 15 years earlier than previously planned.

www.bbc.co.uk

This might not be good news for BRS's appeal against the local authority's refusal to approve the airport's planning application.

The government is reported to be speeding up its climate change commitment and to include international aviation and shipping in its considerations.

That could mean that the North Somerset planning officers' recommendations to approve were given under government rules/guidance/policy that are about to change. By the time the public enquiry takes place later this year the planning inspector(s) could be operating to the tune of a different and (for the airport) more onerous government planning regime.

If the airport does lose its appeal it's all cosmetic as far as climate change is concerned because other underused airports are waiting to pick up extra flights that would have gone to BRS, causing the same amount of emissions. The only happy people would be BRS nimbys and those airports that benefit from displaced flights.

Being realistic the pandemic recovery is likely to mean it will take years to get back to 2019 passenger levels and probably BRS won't be approaching its current cap of 10 mppa until 2025/2026 at the earliest. In the supporting documents for its planning application the airport projected 10 mppa being reached by the end of this year and 12 mppa by 2025/2026. It now says that it doesn't expect 12 mppa (if it is given permission) until around 2030.

 

[Coathanger16]

Upon further reading, the latest government targets are based on the Committee on Climate Changes (CCC) recommendations.

Their latest report on aviation:

https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Sector-summary-Aviation.pdf

Under this scenario, 25% growth vs 2018 levels would be compatible with the UK achieving net zero by 2050.

25% growth vs 2018 levels for Bristol Airport would lead to passenger levels of approx 10.8 million - i.e. more than the current capacity would allow.

The airport could still argue that increasing the cap to 12 million wouldn't necessarily go against government targets of net zero by 2050. Especially considering the 25% growth is across the whole UK aviation sector, which includes long haul, and Bristol Airport is a predominantly short haul airport and will therefore have lower emissions per flight than say Heathrow.

Its also worth noting the CCC report assumes a very low take up of electric/hybrid aircraft by 2050 - just 9% of aircraft KM. They also consider SAF only in the context of the current limit of 50% blend (i.e. 50% of total fuel is the maximum amount of SAF allowed). Airbus is currently testing 100% blend of SAF with preliminary results looking promising.

Considering electric/hybrid and SAF will likely have more of an impact at airports that predominantly serve short haul acts in Bristol's favour.

Sadly the CCC report recommends no net airport expansion, which I assume to be if airport X expands, airport Y must have capacity reduced so that capacity across the two airports remains unchanged.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Many thanks for the link and your comments, Coathanger.

Perversely, in one way the pandemic has come to BRS's aid in the sense that it now has more time to plan its way forward in the event of it losing its planing appeal.

The original airport timeline of reaching its current cap of 10 mppa by the end of this year (it had reached a 12-month running total of over 9 million in early 2019) and 12 mppa by 2025/2026 always carried an obvious supplementary question.

What will you do as 2025/2026 approaches and you find that you will need even more capacity after that?

In its attendant documentation regarding its new master plan (which should have been published a year or more ago following lengthy public consultation - the current plan was published in 2006) the airport spoke of 20 mppa by the early 2040s. That would have entailed more incursion into the Green Belt (much of the operational North Side is in a Green Belt Inset) and was always going to prove even more controversial than the proposals in the current planning application now subject of appeal. The airport ruled out a runway extension though.

If the government sticks rigidly to the CCC recommendations, that will clearly have a serious impact on the aviation industry in this country that, pandemic and recessions aside, has seen passenger growth at a rate in recent decades far greater than would be permitted by the CCC recommendations in the years ahead.

With less seat availability, or to be more precise a slower rate of growth in seat availability, demand will begin to outstrip supply with no doubt the usual result in such circumstances.

 

[kraktoa]

Bristol will soon probably announce that it is now a Red List airport for flights from Red List countries. If not already announced yet.

 

[KARFA]

Bristol will soon probably announce that it is now a Red List airport for flights from Red List countries. If not already announced yet.

Yes it is now one of the designated entry ports for those coming from red list countries since yesterday. Others in England are Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Birmingham Airport, and Farnborough Airport.

 

[Aviador]

It does all make me wonder if we are heading for a categorising of airports in a similar way to that seen in the 70s with A B and C with A airports such as Heathrow being allowed limited growth but B and C airport being told to limit their growth. If the government decides to follow this route, I honestly don't think it will achieve anything other than to appease the climate change fanatics.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Amongst the various local elections taking place next week is one for the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) mayor. The current Conservative mayor is not standing for re-election.

Along with South Gloucestershire Council Weca is the only other authority in the Greater Bristol area that still supports BRS expansion. North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset councils oppose expansion and a few months ago were joined by Bristol City Council that did an about-turn from its previous stance of support. A new mayor might use his (all those standing are male) office to steer Weca into the opposition camp.

The strength of local opposition/support might not count for much anyway if the secretary of state makes the final decision on the airport's appeal as seems likely will be the case, following the planning inspector-led public enquiry scheduled for July this year.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Amongst the various local elections taking place next week is one for the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) mayor. The current Conservative mayor is not standing for re-election.

Along with South Gloucestershire Council Weca is the only other authority in the Greater Bristol area that still supports BRS expansion. North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset councils oppose expansion and a few months ago were joined by Bristol City Council that did an about-turn from its previous stance of support. A new mayor might use his (all those standing are male) office to steer Weca into the opposition camp.

The strength of local opposition/support might not count for much anyway if the secretary of state makes the final decision on the airport's appeal as seems likely will be the case, following the planning inspector-led public enquiry scheduled for July this year.

The West of England Combined Authority (Weca) now has a Labour mayor following this week's election. The new man is former MP and former Labour government minister Dan Norris. During his campaign he said he was against Bristol Airport expansion which will almost certainly see Weca's support under the previous Conservative mayor follow the example of the Bristol Labour mayor and its Labour council and perform an about-turn from support to opposition.

The result of the Bristol mayoral election is still awaited but the the Labour candidate, Marvin Rees, is the overwhelming favourite to win and thus be re-elected.

Of the Greater Bristol area local authorities, that would leave only Conservative-controlled South Gloucestershire Council supporting the airport's expansion.

It would be ironic if a Conservative cabinet minister was the politician who killed the expansion plans by rejecting the airport's appeal.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I meant to add that these are some of the new Weca mayor's priorities:

Tackle the climate emergency

Protect nature by creating a £20million Green Recovery Fund

Back local producers while cutting food miles with an Eat Local campaign

Make the West of England the UK’s Bee Capital

Looking at that lot I'm beginning to wonder if we would not be better off or at least no worse off with a Green Party Weca mayor.

I suppose there might be a faint chance that he could change his mind and support the airport as he is clearly interested in some types of flying. Perhaps he might be keen on Flybe if the airport could get them on board.

Weca consists of its elected mayor, the elected Bristol mayor and the leaders of South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset councils. North Somerset Council declined to be part of Weca at the beginning but now wants to be. Other than the mayor no-one is directly elected to the authority by the public. They are there by virtue of their other offices.

 

[tpm]

I don't know the man, but he seems slightly higher caliber than his predecessor, with actual governance experience in Westminster.

It's not obvious to me his predecessor's party affiliation made much difference.

The WECA election leaflets were all a bit of a joke really, and to be honest what are you going to put on there realistically? You'll have hardly any powers, and hardly any money, and everyone's going to promise the same job initiatives and train stations that are on course to be built anyway.

Not sure how much weight the views of the Metro Mayor on airport expansion will actually carry in the end. It might be easier for central government to dismiss the views of non-Conservative mayors.

Ironically, without airport expansion the benefit-cost-ratio for a fair number of big / strategic infrastructure projects in the region (road + rail / mass transit) will be considerably lower, so you're kind of shooting yourself into the foot opposing it if you still want those projects and the economic benefits that go with it. A Green Party mayor might've found it easier to oppose such road schemes.

 

[superking]

Marvin rees got re elected as Bristol mayor. Im still trying to work out how he has a say about airport expansion,does his comments have any bearing about airport expansion. We all have the right to complain or abject about things and some times they are heard and other times not.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I don't know the man, but he seems slightly higher caliber than his predecessor, with actual governance experience in Westminster.

It's not obvious to me his predecessor's party affiliation made much difference.

The WECA election leaflets were all a bit of a joke really, and to be honest what are you going to put on there realistically? You'll have hardly any powers, and hardly any money, and everyone's going to promise the same job initiatives and train stations that are on course to be built anyway.

Not sure how much weight the views of the Metro Mayor on airport expansion will actually carry in the end. It might be easier for central government to dismiss the views of non-Conservative mayors.

Ironically, without airport expansion the benefit-cost-ratio for a fair number of big / strategic infrastructure projects in the region (road + rail / mass transit) will be considerably lower, so you're kind of shooting yourself into the foot opposing it if you still want those projects and the economic benefits that go with it. A Green Party mayor might've found it easier to oppose such road schemes.

Like you, I'm unsure how much weight the Secretary of State will place on the views of elected representatives in the region when he comes to decide the airport's appeal outcome following the public enquiry.

The point about big/strategic projects in the region is certainly a valid one. The minister will have to decide whether environmental issues take precedence over the economy, especially with a significant amount of private money waiting to be spent on airport expansion infrastructure with the jobs that go with it.

As far as BRS is concerned a rejection on environmental grounds is really only playing around with the issue as the extra flights that expansion would have brought to BRS will merely be relocated to other airports over time.

Marvin rees got re elected as Bristol mayor. Im still trying to work out how he has a say about airport expansion,does his comments have any bearing about airport expansion. We all have the right to complain or abject about things and some times they are heard and other times not.

As you point out, the city mayor has no direct responsibility for airport matters as it lies in another local authority area, but no doubt all the local authorities in the region (and beyond) will reinforce their views at the public enquiry part of the appeal procedure. It then depends how much relevance the planning inspector(s) place(s) on these views in his/her/their recommendations to the Secretary of State*, although he is not bound by them.

* I don't know whether more than one planning inspector will deal with this appeal (there were three dealing with the Stansted appeal) snd I am assuming that the minister will 'recover' the appeal and make the decision himself rather than allow the planning inspector(s) to do so.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The latest move by opponents of BRS expansion.

Campaigners demand Government halt Bristol Airport expansion

They have joined campaigners across the UK in calling for a national halt to all airport expansion plans

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[CM.]

The latest move by opponents of BRS expansion.

Campaigners demand Government halt Bristol Airport expansion

They have joined campaigners across the UK in calling for a national halt to all airport expansion plans

www.bristolpost.co.uk

I hate these groups. They have nothing better to do. I am a true believer that aviation will become greener and better for our environment.

These people dont have considerations for workers in aviation. And most of them don’t actually read plans because many think that there will be more planes as a result. And the word “expansion” gets thrown around too much as airports know if they are planning an expansion of flights then it’s likely their plans will be rejected on environmental grounds. Feel free to comment on this or add to it.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I hate these groups. They have nothing better to do. I am a true believer that aviation will become greener and better for our environment.

These people dont have considerations for workers in aviation. And most of them don’t actually read plans because many think that there will be more planes as a result. And the word “expansion” gets thrown around too much as airports know if they are planning an expansion of flights then it’s likely their plans will be rejected on environmental grounds. Feel free to comment on this or add to it.

Bristol is asking for planning permission to expand its facilities to enable it to handle 12 mppa. Part of the application involved a request for permission to increase its current passenger cap of 10 mppa to 12 mppa. It also asked for a rationalisation of its might noise and movements quotas although not an overall increase.

The local authority planning officers recommended that the application should be approved with conditions, none of which would have been a major problem for the airport. The planning councillors decided to reject their planning officers' advice.

The Stansted appeal should be the first to be decided. The public enquiry aspect of that procedure ended in March (Bristol's public enquiry is anticipated for July) with an outcome likely to be announced in June or July. STN is asking for passenger expansion too and its application was also rejected by the local authority planning councillors against the advice of their planning officers, so the Secretary of State's decision on that might be a good guide to BRS's future.

Had the pandemic not intervened BRS anticipated reaching its current 10 mppa cap by the end of this year. It was already through a rolling 12-month total of 9 mppa by February 2020.