Bristol Airport could be set to expand with a £500 million investment, aiming to enhance international travel connections and create thousands of jobs.

The Airport has submitted new plans to North Somerset Council this week, which would enable the Airport to provide more destinations, including world cities within Europe and beyond with a limited number of new longer-haul flights to North America, Middle East, with connections to Asia and beyond.

The proposal would see an investment of around £500 million to improve the Airport and its local infrastructure, including:

- A larger terminal with more space, more shops and restaurants. A bigger immigration hall and baggage handling facilities.

- Runway and taxiway improvements incorporating changes to approach lights to allow for larger aircraft to connect the region directly with North America and the Middle East.

- Customer improvements including travelators to help passengers get to their gates and the ability to walk to and from aircraft without catching a bus.

- Significant increase in the number of passengers travelling by public transport alongside additional car parking spaces.

- Highway improvements on the A38, and a new bus lane making travel more reliable between the north and south side.

- Expanded car hire facility - to serve the increase in inbound visitors and business travellers.

- A maintenance hangar - creating high-skill jobs and preventing the need for aircraft based at Bristol Airport to fly elsewhere for maintenance.

The Airport is also applying for permission to increase the current passenger cap of 12 million passengers per annum to 15 million passengers per annum, which it expects to reach in the late 2030s. Currently 10.8 million people use Bristol Airport. The increase of 3 million passengers per annum equates to 1% of the total number of passenger journeys made through UK airports in the last year.

Aircraft movements would increase from 85,990 to 100,000 per year in the longer term to meet demand for air travel. On a busy day in peak period this would result in 35 extra aircraft movements. While night flying restrictions would remain, the Airport is proposing to increase night flights by 1,000 per year - on average, four per night on a busy night in the peak period.

The plans would also create an additional 1,000 on-site Airport jobs for local people including roles such as engineers, mechanics, airline crew, retail assistants and caterers. A total of 36,000 jobs would be supported in the South West and South Wales within the supply chain with wider economy benefits. Additionally, partnerships with local colleges providing support to get people into work, skills training and apprenticeships for local people have been proposed.

Dave Lees, Chief Executive of Bristol Airport, said: “Our proposals deliver what customers have told us they want to see at their local Airport. We will open up opportunities to visit places further afield and for businesses to expand into new international markets.

“This would improve international connectivity to key world cities enhancing trade, supporting high value sectors and improving inward investment, as well as supporting our world-leading universities in their research and innovation endeavours.

“It is also about connecting family and friends – something that’s important for the West of England where 30% of people now have close family members living abroad.”

Bristol Airport’s detailed plans, including a full range of impact assessments and consultation analysis, are expected to be published on North Somerset Council’s planning webpage in the next fortnight. The Council will then set out how local people and organisations can view the application and submit comments, which will be considered before the council makes a decision later this year.