News / Bristol airport
Campaigners say airport expansion could ‘slice common in two’
A new campaign group believes Bristol Airport’s proposed expansion of landing lights to a green space will “literally slice the common into two parts”.
Save Felton Common say the details of the expansion came as a “total shock” as these were not mentioned in the airport’s Master Plan published in June 2025.
“The anger over the airport’s proposals to locate landing lights on Felton Common was so evident at the recent meeting held in Felton,” said chair of the group, Debbie Johnson. “The common is cherished and well-used by those from the local community and beyond.”
The airport has proposed expansion of its eastern landing lights to a section of Felton Common – photo: Bristol Airport
Johnson continued: “The airport says that they only need a small proportion of land to site the new lights, but the development will literally slice the common into two parts.
“They have no care about how detrimental the lights would be to the common’s unique ecology or their impact on both the local and wider community.”
The airport currently has approach lighting at its western end within the airport and its eastern end in a field owned by the airport near the A38, both in accordance with aeronautical standards. These lights, the authorities explain, play an important role in helping pilots land safely at night and when there are low visibility conditions.
Once installed, the expanded lights are expected to take up 0.45 per cent of the green space’s total area.
On the webpage of a now-closed consultation for the landing lights, the airport explained that the expansion was important to ensure they comply with Civil Aviation Authority safety standards when the proposed runway improvements are in place.
After the expansion, the common will continue to be available for those who use it for grazing and additional grazing rights would also be passed for the replacement land. The increase in use of “new generation” aircraft at Bristol Airport, authorities say, would also mean they are 50 per cent quieter than older models.
In November 2025, people gathered on Felton Common to oppose the airport’s plans for expansion – photo: Bristol Airport Action Network
Johnson said the Save Felton Common group was set up after their meeting in December 2025 with an aim to “lobby decision makers”.
The group wanted to ensure authorities are fully informed of the community’s concerns about their plans to “put corporate profit ahead of people and the environment”.
Other than chairing the new campaign group, Johnson has also served for over two decades on the Felton Common Working Group, who manage the common on behalf of the Winford Parish Council.
Airport authorities say people will still be able to use the green space for grazing after the planned expansion of landing lights – photo: Save Felton Common
She added: “The proposal to place 5.8 metres tall, glaring lights on Felton Common crosses a red line for many people.
“Their concern was clear in the recent consultation, where according to airport management the vast majority of submissions were almost ‘universally negative’ towards the development.
“We are prepared to challenge the airport to ensure a secure future for this unique ancient space.”
Save Felton Common say that “almost all 640 submissions” to the consultation were against the plans.
Bristol Airport explained that the gradual sloping of land towards the east of the airport makes it necessary for the lighting to be levelled. Lighting columns are thus expected to generally rise in height, up to a maximum of 8.5m, which they said is the same as the height of a lampost on A38.
A petition to oppose the expansion onto Felton Common in November 2025 received over 1,510 signatures – photo: Julie Maine
Vice-chair of the group and member of the North Somerset Local Access Forum Julie Main believes that if the green space were “commandeered by the airport”, it would potentially encourage similar encroachment in the future.
She added: “Once the land has been lost to development by the airport, it can never be returned. Its environmental value will be irreversibly damaged, and this well-loved area will be lost for the enjoyment of future generations.
“The lights, which would include high fencing and an access road, would be an eyesore on the landscape that would be impossible to ignore.”
Since the common is a designated local nature reserve and site of nature conservation interest, the airport authorities said the majority of the common would be enclosed within fencing and would remain “undisturbed and maintained as grass” to reduce loss of habitat.
They have claimed that even though “small areas” of the common might become less suitable for nocturnal species due to the lighting, they will ensure there is “no overall loss” in extent or quality of habitat for wildlife.
A Bristol Airport spokesperson told Bristol24/7: “While only small areas of the common would be required for the lighting, we realise how important the open space is to local people, which is why we consulted with those with rights on the common, users of the common and local residents in 2025.
“The proposed runway approach lighting is necessary as part of our future growth plans that include improvements to our runway, enabling new routes to America and the Middle East – key destinations that people in the region are keen to visit using their local airport.
“These are also important areas for worldwide business opportunities, which local companies and tourism organisations have said they would benefit from connecting to.
“A full environmental assessment will be included in our forthcoming planning application to grow the airport.”
Main photo: Save Felton Common
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