Councillors have voted against plans to expand Bristol Airport.

At a North Somerset Council planning meeting last night (Monday) councillors voted 18-7 against the plans, with one abstention.

The expansion, which included a new car park and transport hub, would have boosted passenger numbers by two million a year.

As the decision was against the advice of council officers, it will need to be ratified at a future meeting.

Cllr Don Davies, Leader of North Somerset Council said: “The airport currently handles just over eight million passengers and can still expand to the 10 million passengers a year limit it already has, so more people will still be able to fly from there and the number of people who work there should not be affected.

“What the committee has considered is that the detrimental effect of the expansion of the airport on this area and the wider impact on the environment outweighs the narrower benefits to airport expansion.

“I know some people will be upset by this decision and I am sure that we can reconsider it in future when the airline industry has decarbonised and the public transport links to the airport are far stronger.”

The committee meeting lasted for four and a half hours as both supporters of the application and objectors made their views known.