Alder King - General - Bristol, South West

Date: 17 Jun 2009

Grant Watson, Chairman of leading South West Property Consultants Alder King, today welcomed the investment at Bristol International Airport (BIA), which has recently commenced. He stressed the importance of BIA to the economic future of the region and the continuing lifestyle advantage to the population of Bristol and the South West.

He expressed the view that the improvements now underway are urgently needed if the 5/6 million passengers per annum now using the airport are to experience the same standard of facilities offered by other city regions. Mr Watson welcomed the exciting prospect of greatly reducing the need to bus passengers to and from the aircraft, an unsustainable exercise. Following the investment programme, travellers will be able to walk to the aircraft along protected walkways to a new departure area.

Mr Watson also welcomed the news that the airport will this month submit its expansion plans to North Somerset Council, which will improve both terminal and car parking facilities. These he feels are urgently needed if the Bristol City region is to remain competitive from a business perspective and he wholeheartedly endorses the business community's enthusiastic support for the proposed investment.

Grant Watson said today: "I have lived and worked in Bristol for 50 years and I can honestly say that one of the most life changing developments during that period has been the establishment of an airport facility, which gives me the opportunity to travel more freely for both business and leisure.

"I can remember having to drive to London in order to fly to Scotland on business and the same situation applied to most European leisure journeys. The joy of being able to make a relatively short journey to our local airport for such travel has become a huge benefit, which many of us have grown very used to. As a result of not having to drive long journeys before taking a flight, the savings in energy and carbon emissions are dramatic, and the benefit to the business community in both cost and time is undoubted."

Mr Watson continued: "There are of course opponents to airport expansion, some opposed to aircraft in general and others mainly from a small geographical area opposed to Bristol International Airport. Perhaps they do not enjoy travelling from their local airport for business and leisure but I cannot understand the argument of a very small minority who wish to prevent the vast majority enjoying excellent travel facilities from their regional airport. Enjoying life is not a sin and the growth in business that flows from first class airport facilities is a huge benefit to the entire community. Good luck to BIA with its forthcoming application, which I am sure the vast majority of this will support."

The application for improvement to the terminal and car parking is to be submitted shortly and a decision on the planning application expected this year.

This is an advantage that delivered at many regional airports and will greatly enhance BIA's passenger's experience.

Grant Watson, chairman of Alder King

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