News / Felton Common
The ‘historic, much-loved’ green space threatened by airport expansion
An evening event taking place on the outskirts of south Bristol has been designed to showcase the varied nature and wildlife found on a 100-acre green space that will be impacted if plans to expand Bristol Airport are allowed to go ahead.
Campaigners including residents surrounding Felton Common have become alarmed at the impact the airport’s plans will have on the nature and environment of the expanse that is made up of ancient calcareous grassland, one of the most species-rich in Europe.
Earlier this year the airport submitted a planning application to North Somerset Council to expand to accommodate 15 million passengers per year (15mppa).
Their proposals include launching flights to America and the Middle East, which will require a new lighting strip to land the bigger jets that will bisect Felton Common.
At 250 metres the strip will be the length of Park Street, with lights reaching 8.5m at their tallest.
Campaigners recently mocked up the lighting strip to demonstrate the impact it will have on the feel of the green expanse, home to horseshoe bats, endangered bird species and a herd of grazing cattle and calves – photo: Jo Shepherd
There is concern about the impact the construction will have on public use of the space, which is historically designated Common land that is legally protected for use for grazing as well as recreation, and on the wildlife which inhabits the area that incorporates a nature reserve and site of nature conservation as well as a neolithic archaeological site.
Horseshoe bats, known to be significantly impacted by nocturnal lights, live on the Common which is also home to a variety of endangered and rare birds including skylarks, yellowhammers, song thrushes, mistle thrushes and yellow woodpeckers.
An event at Felton Village Hall on June 16 organised by the Save Felton Common campaign group will introduce the ‘hidden wonders’ of the Common, with four expert speakers taking part.
Chris Sperring from the Hawk & Owl Trust and Poppy Maynard of WECA’s West of England Wildlife Index will join Felton Common’s ecologist Rupert Higgins and Andrew Tanner, the farmer that is currently exercising his Commoners rights to graze his cattle on the land.
There will be an opportunity to learn more about local conservation projects and to ask questions.
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Bristol Airport’s planning application is open for comments until June 28 at planning.n-somerset.gov.uk/online-applications
Main image: Jo Shepherd
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