After a long and determined fight, campaigners opposed to the expansion of Bristol Airport lost in the High Court. There may yet be a further appeal.
Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) argued, among other things, that the expansion at Bristol would contravene environmental legislation binding the UK government to limiting CO2 and other emissions.
In successfully appealing against an earlier decision by the Planning Inspectorate to allow the expansion, BAAN had argued that the Inspectorate was deaf to the climate change issues raised.
And this decision by the High Court is in spite of the fact that, in his summing up, Lord Justice Lane said expanding the airport would impact the environment but that the decision is for central government not local.
This decision is important because it could be seen to be setting a precedent for central government riding roughshod over local planning decisions and over its own CO2 reduction targets.