Standing up for Felton Common: Supporting communities to challenge Bristol Airport expansion

 

ELF is assisting the local community group Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) to oppose the proposed expansion of Bristol Airport from 12 million to 15 million passengers per year, which plans to develop historic common land known as Felton Common. 

This latest planning application follows a protracted four-year legal battle that concluded in 2023, which ultimately granted the airport permission to expand from 9 million to 12 million passengers annually. The airport is now seeking a further expansion, scaling operations up. Their plans involve developing Felton Common—a registered common land dating back to medieval times. According to the airport’s planning application, part of the Common is earmarked to fall within the project’s “Central Zone.” This zone forms the operational core of the expansion, and the Common itself is slated to host landing lights and associated security fencing. 

The community groups have raised significant alarms regarding the environmental and heritage costs of this “land grab.” Felton Common is a site of high ecological value, holding dual protections as a designated Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI). Local data highlights its rich biodiversity, noting it is home to 267 plant species alongside a wide range of fauna including moths, bats, badgers, and barn owls. Beyond its ecological weight, the land retains historic medieval grazing rights for local residents, contains scheduled ancient monuments, and features an active Public Right of Way. 

Winford Parish Council, the owners of Felton Common, are currently refusing to cooperate with airport developers. 

Consequently, for the development to move forward, the airport will have to pursue a complex legal route beyond standard planning permission. This will require executing a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to forcefully acquire the land, alongside a formal commons de-registration process to strip the site of its historic legal protections 

With the assistance of David Forsdick KC, we are advising the group on how to robustly defend the Common throughout this process, ensuring this vital green space is fully accounted for in the final decision.