New Civil Engineer - Rob Hakimian
Campaigners against the expansion of Bristol Airport have been granted a hearing in the High Court later this year.
It’s the latest in a tug-of-war about the expansion, which would increase the airport’s capacity from 10M to 12M annual passengers. North Somerset Council rejected the scheme in February 2020, but this was appealed and eventually overturned by the Planning Inspectorate in February this year.
Planning lawyers, economists and environmentalists warned that this u-turn had set a “dangerous precedent”.
North Somerset Council did not pursue legal action against the decision, but the campaign group Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) did not give up the fight. After raising more than £20,000 to cover legal fees, the group took its case against the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to court. BAAN contends that the expansion would see damage to the local population and environment, great increase noise and air pollution, generate more road traffic and result in rising carbon emissions.
