Cheerio SBAE...
Campaigners have been refused permission to bring a High Court challenge over plans for a major expansion at Bristol International Airport.
A judge told the Stop Bristol Airport Expansion Campaign, which fears a huge increase in flights and a doubling of carbon emissions, that they did not have a legally arguable case.
Nathalie Lieven QC, appearing for the group, had contended that North Somerset District Council's decision to give the expansion plans the go-ahead earlier this year was legally flawed.
Councillors considering the planning application were advised by council officers that climate change "was not a material consideration" to be taken into account by local planners as they were bound by Government policy as set out in the 2003 Air Transport White Paper (ATWP).
Ms Lieven argued the ATWP was now out of date. She said climate change was a local, as well as national and international issue, and therefore relevant to airport expansion.
Rejecting her argument, Mr Justice Collins ruled at London's High Court the advice given by the officers was not wrong.
He said: "The Government, for good or ill, has maintained the ATWP for the time being as the relevant policy document. It seems to me it cannot be an error of law for advice to be given to follow that policy."
Later campaign spokeswoman Hilary Burn said: "It is a very disappointing result by Mr Justice Collins that the ATWP of 2003 still stands.
"The Government now needs to review that document in the light of up-to-date information on climate change.
"It also needs to recognise that it is essential that local authorities taking decisions of this kind need to take take climate change into account."