A POLITICIAN who could end up being one of the most powerful voices on whether Bristol Airport can expand has set out her position on the controversial expansion plan.

The airport is planning to expand to serve 15-million passengers per year, with a longer runway and flights to America and the Middle East. The plans come just two years after it won a high court battle against campaigners to be able to expand to 12-million passengers a year.

Last week, Bristol City Council adopted a motion to oppose the expansion of the airport — but it is North Somerset Council which will have to decide whether to grant planning permission.

Councillors in North Somerset refused planning permission for it to expand to 12 million passengers per year in 2020, only to see the decision overturned in a bruising planning inquiry.

But this time West of England Metro mayor Cllr Helen Godwin could end up being one of the key decision makers too. Although North Somerset Council is not a member of the West of England Combined Authority, it has told the government it is interested in joining.

At the same time, the government is planning to give metro mayors powers to call-in or direct refusal of major planning applications of potential strategic importance in its devolution bill.

In a statement published in response to Janet Grimes, who submitted a written question to today’s meeting of the West of England Combined Authority Committee saying Bristol residents were “concerned” by reports the Mayor was sympathetic to the new expansion.

Ms Godwin said: “The airport has yet to meet its current passenger numbers cap or submit a planning application for further expansion to North Somerset Council, who I hope will join our regional authority in the not-too-distant future so we can work even more closely together.

“Local people’s voices need to be heard in the planning process, particularly so soon after the Planning Inspectorate’s decision in 2022.

“It’s true that Bristol Airport supports a great many jobs in our region, and is a major driver of economic growth. We also face an unprecedented climate emergency and all want to help our planet, with a need for green innovation in every sector including aerospace.

Asked in another question by Mary Collett if the protection of the planet would be prioritised economic growth such as the “environmentally damaging” expansion of Bristol Airport, Ms Godwin said: “I want to see the West leading the way on both economic growth and environmental progress, and don’t think that those goals are mutually exclusive. That will be my ambition for our region as mayor.”

A major point of contention in the expansion to 12-million passengers per year was over whether the airport could be turned down because of the environmental impact.

Bristol Airport’s lawyers argued successfully at the High Court that the council should only take into account the environmental impact of the airport buildings and ground vehicles — and not the emissions from the planes.