One of the UK's biggest business organisations says the rejection of plans to expand Bristol Airport is a "real blow" to the South West.
The CBI has spoken out after North Somerset councillors threw out the proposals last night (Monday, February 10), saying environmental and societal impacts outweighed the economic benefits of the expansion.
The plans were rejected by 18 votes to seven but because the committee went against planning officer advice, the decision will have to be ratified at a future meeting.
CBI deputy regional director Ben Rhodes said: “This news is a real blow to Bristol and the wider South West.
“This project would help further extend the reach of our region and help put us in the shop window of the world. Simply put this project would help create jobs, growth and investment in the South West and we should not put it at risk.
“We are now left in the perverse situation that people are driving out of our region to fly. That is bad for our economy and bad for our environment.
“In a post-Brexit world we need schemes like this and this awful news will hurt many businesses in the South West.
"On a day that HS2 is announced for the North we have rejected a major infrastructure scheme in the South West. The CBI believes we must not be left behind.”
North Somerset Council joined many other authorities in declaring a climate emergency last year.
yesterday, Cllr Steve Hogg called for the application to be rejected at the special planning and regulatory committee meeting.
He said: “This will fundamentally damage the relationship between this council and residents for years to come. I want to propose in the strongest possible terms we vote against the officers' recommendation and refuse permission.
“This will either go to an appeal or a judicial review. Either way, public money will be spent. Would you rather spend public money defending the community or facilitating the expansion of a large single business?
“We must weigh the benefits – which flow towards the airport, its shareholders, pension funds and those seeking a cheap holiday in the Med – against the unbearable burdens that will fall on the local community and the environment.”
Cllr John Ley-Morgan agreed, saying: “How can we achieve our ambition for carbon neutrality by 2030 if we approve this decision?”
Extinction rebellion Bristol has called the decision a "historic win" on Twitter.
Bristol Airport claims its expansion will benefit the West of England’s economy to the tune of £210million and airport boss David Lees said the decision risks "putting the brakes" on the future growth of the region.
But David Worskett from the Campaign to Protect Rural England said the economic benefits for the region had been overstated by as much as 50 per cent – a claim strongly refuted by economist James Brass, who spoke in favour of the plans.
The application was supported by Unite, who said the expansion would create thousands of jobs.
