Bristol Airport expansion plans include longer runway for flights to US and Middle East
Bristol Airport has revealed its expansion masterplan and it includes a bigger terminal, a runway extension and more shops on site.
The proposals would see flights increase from just shy of 86,000 a year to 100,000 and include plans to offer new destinations in the Middle East and east coast of the US.
If approved, the airport's passenger capacity would go from 12 million a year to 15 million a year by 2036.
The airport's bosses say the expansion will "meet future demand for air travel in the region" and say its plan includes road and public transport improvements as well as more parking and a new hotel.
As first revealed by ITV News West Country earlier this month, Bristol Airport wants to grow further and has today launched a consultation setting out a masterplan to 2040.
Among the proposals are:
Flight increase from 85,990 to 100,000 per year
More destinations, including east coast America and the Middle East
A larger terminal building
New taxiways, apron extensions and additional aircraft stands
A short runway extension
Improved on-site facilities including retail and an additional hotel
Increase passenger capacity from 12 to 15 million a year by 2036
Additional parking spaces at the airport
Improvements to the A38 to increase its capacity
Bosses say the development is forecast to support more than 37,000 jobs in the South West andSouth Wales – including an additional 1,000 jobs at the airport.
Chief executive Dave Lees said: "We’re continuously investing in improvements to meet current demand, with our new £64million Public Transport Interchange currently under construction.
"Work is also ongoing to decarbonise operations at the airport on projects removing gas from our site, to be replaced with heat pumps."
The plans are sure to meet with fierce opposition. North Somerset Council rejected the airport's current expansion when first proposed in 2020 but the airport's owners won on a High Court appeal.
Several local MPs and West of England Mayor Dan Norris opposed the expansion while a vocal and highly active campaign group, Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN), fought the airport's plans and have already voiced their opposition to the latest proposals.
Mr Lees said: “We recognise there will be concerns about carbon emissions resulting from airport growthand the implications for climate change. So we are bringing forward proposals for what we consider to be responsible growth, growth that is both within the current UK carbon budgets required to meet net zero for all emissions by 2050, and with measures to achieve net zero airport operations by 2030.
"We are also committed to working with partners in our region on aviation decarbonisation.”
The airport says its proposals include improvements to the A38 and public transport connections to the airport as well as an increase in car parking spaces at the site.
An official planning application is expected early next year following the consultation which runs until 31 January.
People can find out more about the proposals and provide feedback at www.bristolairport.co.uk/future-plans
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