The next stage of the campaign will be the public consultation on BIA's planning application(s), which will be submitted sometime in 2008. It's crucial that concerned members of the public respond to this. By registering with SBAE we can tell you as soon as the consultation starts and how to respond. Register your support! »

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About us

Stop Bristol Airport Expansion! (SBAE) is an alliance comprised of the following groups:

Bristol Friends of the Earth »
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) »
The Parish Councils Airport Association (PCAA)

Stop Bristol Airport Expansion

Help us to prevent a wanton increase in greenhouse gas emissions, the use of green fields for parking thousands of cars, increased traffic on narrow roads and an extra 6 flights per hour on average (and worse at busy times).

Register your support!

By registering with SBAE we can keep you up to date with the campaign and let you know as soon as any public consultations start and how you can respond. Your support is crucial to our campaign.

Your Questions Answered

Negotiating the facts and fictions surrounding aviation and its environmental and economic consequences can be confusing. We've prepared a page to answer your questions about aviation and airport expansion, particularly about BIA's expansion plans.

Visit our question and answer page »

Watchdog calls for airport expansion to be put on hold

September 16, 2008

In a study entitled "Contested Evidence: The case for an independent review of aviation policy”, the Government's environmental watchdog, the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), repeated its call for decisions on major airport expansion to be put on hold until there has been a full independent review of the Government's 2003 Air Transport White Paper.

Read our press release »

Airport expansion bid defies economy and the climate

September 15, 2008

BIA says passenger numbers are to reach 10 million by 2016 in new planning documents just submitted to North Somerset Council.

The documents, submitted as another UK airline collapsed as a result of high oil prices, show the airport is pressing ahead with expansion plans despite the current economic climate and the
urgent need to reduce carbon emissions to tackle climate change.

According to the submission, the airport intends to extend the apron to make room for more aircraft - as well as expanding car parking facilities into the Green Belt.

Read our press release »

One Hundred Months

September 3, 2008

SBAE supports One Hundred Months because we recognise the urgent need for action on climate change

http://www.onehundredmonths.org/

Green belt must stay at airport councillors agree

September 2, 2008

Members of the Strategic Planning and Economic Development Policy and Scrutiny Panel are urging North Somerset Council's Executive Committee to back their decision when they meet on Tuesday 9th September.

The discussion follows a proposal in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West to alter the Green Belt. Bristol International Airport has expressed an interest in building a further car park to the south side of the airport, on land covered by the green belt.

Read our press release »

Government and SW regional assembly must wake up and listen

July 29, 2008

The South West's draft Regional Spatial Strategy (draft RSS) plans to ease development restrictions in the greenbelt: it's out-of-date and out-of-touch.

Read our press release »

SWRDA ditches support for airport expansion because economic benefits unproven

July 12, 2008

A report obtained from the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) by Airport Watch South West (AWSW) under the Freedom of Information Act questions "whether any RDA investment in airports can be reconciled with 'economic growth' within environmental limits" and went on to admit that "air travel may not necessarily be a pre-requisite for economic growth".

Read our press release »
Download the SWRDA board minutes from January 2008 »
Download the SWRDA Economic Assessment report »

Anti-airport expansion campaigners' arguments supported by government report

May 21, 2008

The report, from the Government's own green watchdog, the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), published with the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), has said that the Government must review its policy on expanding the UK's airports because there is so much controversy and conflict over issues such as the contribution of air travel to climate change and its benefits to the economy.

The SDC report concludes that the Government's 2003 Air Transport White Paper, which backs expansion at regional airports such as Bristol, must go back to the drawing board.

Read the report on the SDC's website »
Read our press release about the report »

Walkway Latest: A Minor Victory!

May 15, 2008

Last night at the South Area Committee meeting, the councillors unanimously passed two motions, which are roughly:

"BIA is told that this is not permitted development and must submit a full planning application"
"The council will reexamine the issue of whether an EIA is required"

We are, of course, delighted by this. We're not quite sure what the airport's next move will be, but it shows that at least minor victories are possible!

Read our press release about the outcome of the SAC meeting »
Minutes of the meeting on the NSC website »

Business West report biased and weak

March 31, 2008

Business West commissioned researchers at UWE to compare two economic reports on the consequences of expanding BIA. Instead of this being an open and in-depth analysis of the methods, evidence and conclusions of those reports, we consider that the new study shows considerable prejudgment and bias, and a weakness of analysis.

Read our commentary on the report »