The long running fight to build a commercial airport at Filton in Bristol has finally moved to the High Court.
BAe and British Aerospace Airbus are challenging the DOE’s refusal last year to give them the go-ahead for an airport on the 160ha (395 acre) airfield. They argue the airport would create a projected 3,700 jobs and operate around 23,000 business and freight flights a year.
BAe claims that the then Transport Minister George Young and the former Environment Secretary John Gummer were wrong to find that the scheme would create fewer jobs than possible future business uses on the land. It will also contest the DOE’s finding that flights to and from Filton would create unacceptable noise pollution.
The appeal was due to come to the High Court last October but the case was postponed, first until February this year and then until today.
EGi News 16/05/97
