Regional bosses have been slated for refusing to oppose the expansion of Bristol Airport.

Bristol City Council and Bath and North East Somerset Council have both come out against plans to boost passenger numbers to 12million a year, with only South Gloucestershire in favour.

But B&NES Council leader Dine Romero was unable to convince her colleagues in the West of England Combined Authority to make its position clear at a behind-closed-doors meeting ahead of a public inquiry.

Opponents of the airport's plans – rejected last year by North Somerset Council, which is not a member of Weca – say the regional partnership clearly came out in favour of the expansion, but it insists it gave no such endorsement.

A spokesperson said: "The combined authority responded to the original planning application with a technical response in our role as a neighbouring local transport authority.

"This has not changed, and the combined authority will not be making any further statements during the planning process, which is a matter for North Somerset Council and the Planning Inspectorate."

That technical response said: "The UK Government is currently developing a new aviation strategy to 2050, which supports maximisation of regional airport runway capacity to accommodate forecast growth in air passenger numbers.

"Within this context, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) supports in principle the expansion of Bristol Airport."

It said the transport hub's growth would help the economy grow, cut the need for residents to travel long distances to other airports and attract investment.

Weca scrutiny committee chairman and Bristol green councillor Steve Clarke said that was a "pretty clear endorsement" of the expansion bid.

He said: "There is absolutely no mention by Weca of the negative effects of the proposed expansion including a million tonnes of extra CO2 equivalent gases a year into the high atmosphere (where it is especially damaging), 10,000 extra car journeys a day, a new multi-storey car park on green belt land and many extra summertime night flights."

Cllr Clarke said it was "the biggest carbon related decision in a generation" and Weca should make clear its members are divided on the issue.

A Bristol Airport spokesperson said: "The plans to expand capacity at the airport will offer passengers more routes and flights from the South West directly, create jobs, facilitate inward investment and inbound tourism, and support greener and more sustainable, regional economic growth.

"Sustainable development has always been at the centre of Bristol Airport's plans. The expansion proposals sit alongside a roadmap which sets out how the airport will achieve its ambition to become carbon neutral for direct emissions by 2025 and a net zero airport by 2050."

The appeal will be heard at a public inquiry in July. The deadline for comments is Monday, February 22.

Representations should be sent to [email protected] quoting reference APP/D0121/W/20/3259234.