Bristol Airport launches consultation setting out new masterplan

Bristol Airport has launched a consultation setting out a masterplan to 2040 to meet the strong and growing demand of people in the region using the Airport.

The proposals would enable the Airport to provide more connections and serve new destinations, including a limited number of new longer-haul flights, connecting the region directly with destinations such as the east coast of the U.S. and the Middle East.

The future development is forecast to support more than 37,000 jobs in the South West and South Wales – including an additional 1,000 jobs at the Airport, with employment focused on areas including Weston-super-Mare and South Bristol.

Bristol Airport has today (25 November) started a two-month long consultation on its proposals allowing opportunity for people to help shape the future plans. A dedicated website provides more information – including an interactive map - detailing proposals, which are also being shared with local residents this week.

There are now more than 10 million passengers a year using Bristol Airport, providing more than 5,000 local jobs and contributing £2 billion to the regional economy. Connecting the region to more than 115 destinations increases productivity, supports businesses and enables inbound tourism.

Image: Ryanair plane at Bristol Airport

The masterplan to 2040 will look at expected passenger growth beyond the current allowance of 12 million passengers per annum, so it can serve up to 15 million passengers per year by around 2036. This will set a clear development intent to be given due consideration in the local planning process, with a planning application likely to be going to North Somerset Council next year.

Proposals include:

• Terminal extension: A larger terminal building, with improved walkways directly serving aircraft and so reducing passenger transport to aircraft by bus. To further improve the customer experience, travellators would be installed.
• Supporting facilities: Improved on-site facilities including retail, food and beverage and an additional hotel, as well as more space for flight catering, engineering and other requirements for airport businesses.
• Airfield: New taxiways, apron extensions and additional aircraft stands. A short runway improvement – around the size of one and a half football pitches – will enable longer-range aircraft, serving a limited number of long-haul destinations and more efficient short-haul flights that will continue to be the majority of flights for the foreseeable future. The runway improvement could help reduce noise from departing aircraft to the west.     
• Transport: Capacity improvements on the A38 and improvements to public transport connections to the Airport are proposed.
• Parking provision: Plans to increase car parking provision to the north and south of the Airport.

Dave Lees, Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Airport said: “We constantly look at trends in air travel and we've been pleasantly surprised that people want to continue to travel by air. We've seen since the pandemic a real resurgence in terms of people wanting to connect with friends and family across Europe as well as across the world and that will inform our plans as we go forward over the coming years.

“The masterplan will look at what further development might be required to meet this growing demand for air travel and we’d welcome input from people to help shape our plans.”

Mr Lees added that more than £400 million is currently being invested on improving customer experience and reducing the Airport’s carbon emissions: “We’re continuously investing in improvements to meet current demand, with our new £64 million Public Transport Interchange currently under construction. Work is also ongoing to decarbonise operations at the Airport on projects removing gas from our site, to be replaced with heat pumps.

“We recognise there will be concerns about carbon emissions resulting from Airport growth and the implications for climate change. So we are bringing forward proposals for what we consider to be responsible growth, growth that is both within the current UK carbon budgets required to meet net zero for all emissions by 2050, and with measures to achieve net zero airport operations by 2030. Meanwhile, we are also committed to working with partners in our region on aviation decarbonisation.”

Image: EasyJet plane outside the terminal building at Bristol Airport

Bristol Airport has worked closely with airlines to improve the type of aircraft operating from the Airport. It has actively encouraged more quieter new engine option aircrafts, which have a 50% reduction in noise compared to standard aircraft. One major airline has the highest number of quieter aircrafts operating from Bristol Airport compared to their other UK bases.

The increase in passengers from 12 million passengers per annum to 15 million passengers per annum, will see aircraft movements increase from 85,990 to 100,000 per year in the longer term to meet demand for air travel. On a busy day in peak period this would result in 35 extra aircraft movements. While night flying restrictions would remain, the Airport is proposing to increase night flights by 1,000 - on average, four per night on a busy night in the peak period.

UK Government policy supports the growth of airports outside South East England that make better use of existing runways, and that grow and develop new routes and services. Bristol Airport’s proposals to provide new destinations would reduce journeys to London airports, which 10 million passengers make from the South West and South Wales every year.

The consultation runs from Monday 25 November 2024 to Friday 31 January 2025. People can find out more about the Airports proposals and provide feedback at www.bristolairport.co.uk/future-plans.