A North Somerset Council candidate has defended an election campaign leaflet that appears to claim Bristol Airport’s controversial proposed expansion will go ahead.
Luke Smith, who is standing in Wrington ward for the Conservatives, said he “fully stands by the points I make” but accepted the pamphlet’s wording should have been different.
The first sentence includes the statement “Bristol Airport is expanding to a capacity of 12 million people per year”, despite the fact local authority planners have not yet considered the application.
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Wrington parish councillor Donna Robertson told BBC Radio Bristol: “I’m very angry that this young lad is putting out misinformation because North Somerset Council has not made its decision yet.
“He is giving the impression that the expansion is going ahead.
“The result of that will be that people will read it and say, ‘Well what was the point? We might as well accept it’.”
Mr Smith said in a statement: “Bristol Airport is expanding right now and this is likely to continue.
“Plans were submitted last year for further development to handle up to 12 million passengers a year by the mid-2020s.
“I am fully aware the planning process for the longer-term development is at an early stage and no decisions have been made.
“I have made this clear to residents who have asked me about it.
“On reflection, the conditional tense should have been used in the first sentence of the leaflet, but I fully stand by the points I make.”
A Conservative Party spokesman denied claims that the candidate had told residents on their doorstep that the airport expansion had already been approved.
“Luke Smith is an excellent young candidate who does not recognise the alleged comments — nor do they reflect his views,” he said.
Bristol Airport submitted its proposals to North Somerset Council at the end of last year, which include surface level parking and an extra multi-storey car park.
The expansion would increase its capacity to 12 million passengers a year by 2026.
Labour candidate Ian Hamilton and Steve Hogg, an independent, are also standing for election in Wrington.
