Environment Minister John Gummer has turned down an application to develop Filton airfield in Bristol as a commercial airport. The 160ha (395.35a) site is owned by British Aerospace, which wanted to operate 23,000 business and freight flights a year.
The decision now puts a question mark over the future of the Filton site and the 3,700 people currently employed there. The airfield is currently used by BAe for company business flights.
A spokeswoman for BAe said: “We are extremely disappointed with this decision and we are currently consulting with our lawyers to see whether we should take the matter further.”
Gummer refused BAe permission on the grounds that the scheme “would not have been in the wider public interest”. Meanwhile, Bristol Airport is investigating methods of raising £17.5m to construct a new terminal.
EGi News 25/03/96
