This is not set to stop anytime soon, and there have been more news stories of late on the progression of ideas regarding the expansion of Bristol Airport.
Those who oppose the development of the airport want the number of passengers who use it each year to be capped. This should be done at eight million, they say.
But perhaps predictably those who want the plans to go ahead are thinking along different lines. North Somerset Council is considering plans which have a total of ten million passengers a year attached to them. This two million people a year difference is a huge one, and it is still a sticking point between the two groups – those who want the expansion at Bristol Airport and those who don’t.
So which group will win? It is still too early to say, and yet we could expect a decision on what will happen and when by next month. You can read the latest information on the plans and what people think of them by going to the Weston Mercury website.
There is no doubt that expansion plans would benefit the airport in many ways. There would be new jobs, perhaps new airlines and new routes as well, and new facilities for everyone to enjoy while they waited for their flight to take off. But among all this there is the very real possibility that local lives will be affected, and this is what people are concerned about.
This is understandable, since the aircraft noise is the main concern. Not to mention of course the greater influx of people into the area when they are coming to drop people off or catch a flight of their own. This is the crucial area that needs further consideration.
But some also think that damage could be done to the area if the airport does not expand. The more attractive nature of the airport and the influx of jobs will mean that the local area would benefit from the expansion. This is easy enough to see and understand, and yet it is obvious that not everyone will agree on such a big event.
So we must wait until December to see what will happen and whether the plans will be given the go ahead. If they are it will be interesting to see what the next stage will be.