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Bristol Airport High Court appeal to be heard on home turf
A High Court judge has ruled that an appeal to stop Bristol Airport expansion will be heard in Bristol, not London, saying that Bristol “would be a more convenient venue for local people.”
Campaign group Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) crowd funded £30,000 to launch the appeal against a decision made last year by planning inspectors to allow Bristol Airport to expand by two million passengers a year.
North Somerset Council had originally refused planning permission for the expansion.
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Speaking for BAAN, Tarisha Finnegan-Clarke said the High Court decision is “highly significant.”
“So many people and local authorities felt the result of the ten-week public inquiry that overturned the clear vote by North Somerset Council to reject the Airport’s expansion plans, was a huge travesty of local democracy,” she said.
She continued: “Such was the outcry against the decision of the planning inspectors that we felt compelled to challenge the Airport in the High Court with a statutory appeal.
“It seems only right that the challenge is heard in Bristol.”
Bristol Airport wants to increase capacity from 10 million passengers a year to 12 million – photo: Bristol Airport
Representatives for the airport had tried to argue that the appeal should have been heard in London because it was convenient for their legal team and counsel.
But BAAN said that the hearing should be in Bristol because the airport’s expansion plans have generated intense local interest and concerned people should have the opportunity to attend the hearing.
In making her ruling, Justice Lang said: “I accept the claimant’s (BAAN’s) submission that accessibility for local people, who will be directly affected by the proposed development, weighs more heavily in the balance than the convenience of (the Airport’s) counsel, who expect to travel as part of their work.
“Clearly Bristol would be a more convenient venue for local people than London.”
The appeal will be heard at Bristol Civil Justice Centre, Redcliffe Street, on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 November.
Campaigners will welcome the decision as it means they can bring their popular support to bear during the appeal.
Throughout last year’s 36-day planning inquiry at Weston-Super-Mare town hall BAAN and local Extinction Rebellion groups held several demonstrations and brought dozens of people to make statements opposing the expansion to the inspectors.
A spokesperson for Bristol Airport said: “Bristol Airport is aware the hearing has been set to be held in Bristol for Bristol Airport Action Network Coordinating Committee’s (BAANCC) application for statutory review of the 12 million passengers per annum permission. We await the outcome of the forthcoming hearing in which we continue to support the defence of the permission by the Planning Inspectorate.”
Main photo: Bristol Airport
Read more: Bristol Airport expansion to be challenged in High Court
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