bristolflyer,
Can you clear up something?
According to a long-standing unofficial BRS website that has often seemed well-informed in the past the plan is to build holding lounges beneath the proposed walkway.
If that is the case one might think that the airport will have a fight on its hands to get it through as permitted development as holding lounges (even remote ones) might easily be construed as an extension of the terminal building floor area.
As far as I can ascertain it is Part 18 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order of 1995 that allows certain things to be done as permitted development without the need for planning permission. Such developments must be on operational land and be connected with the provision of services or facilities at the airport but such matters as a runway extension, new terminal or extension of an existing terminal (beyond the permitted percentage increase in size) fall outside the scope of the Order.
Since the terminal was built the check-in and baggage reclaim areas within the terminal have been extended by the maximum 15% of floor area allowed by the above Order as permitted development.
According to one local councillor, the local authority is taking legal advice on the situation and no doubt BRS’s planning and legal advisers are content with their client’s proposal. It does seem therefore that in the end the lawyers will make money and a delay will ensue. I suppose it might be looked upon as a warm-up for the major planning battles ahead.