Bristol Airport shows off development plans
22.01.09
Bristol Airport is putting its development plans on show as part of a six week pre-application consultation process aimed at gathering views on the scheme. It is estimated that the completed scheme will generate around 4,000 additional jobs in the south-west and bring up to £343 million into the region. Following consultation, the airport is expected to submit a planning application to North Somerset Council for a range of improvements to the airport’s facilities and services.
The proposals include plans to extend the terminal building, provide additional car parking and create new aircraft stands - enabling the airport to handle up to ten million passengers per annum, six million used the airport in 2008.The proposed development will be concentrated within existing operational areas, with the exception of a small area to the south which will be used for additional car parking.
Robert Sinclair, chief executive officer at Bristol Airport, said: ‘This development will enable the airport to meet the growing demand for air travel to and from the south-west. The new facilities will make the airport better for our passengers, allowing us to improve the service and range of flights available to local business and leisure travellers. It will also help us attract tourists directly into the region, supporting the local economy.'
Reducing the reliance on car journeys to and from the airport by passengers and staff is central to the development plans, according to the airport. As part of a commitment to encourage use of public transport, a new public transport interchange will be sited on top of a new multi-storey car park and linked to the terminal by a covered pedestrian footbridge.
Bristol Airport will also contribute to improvements to the local transport infrastructure, working with local authorities and the community to identify priorities. Bus services between the airport and Bath and Weston-super-Mare are being considered. But opponents said the economic arguments were ‘extremely weak’. Hilary Burn, spokeswoman for Stop Bristol Airport Expansion, said the airport's figures did not stand up.
The consultation will run until March 6, with staffed exhibitions taking place in the airport’s administration building on:
• Thursday January 22 (12:00 – 20:00)
• Friday January 23 (11:00 – 15:00)
• Saturday January 24 (10:00 – 14:00)
From Monday January 26 to Friday March 6 the exhibition can be viewed between 09:00 and 17:00, with feedback forms available.
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