Weston Mercury readers debated comments made by mayor Mark Canniford, who said ‘the creation of good jobs and opportunities at Bristol Airport are very important to the town’.

His views came in response to a survey conducted by ComRes, which revealed broad support for the airport's expansion plans in the town.

The survey, commissioned by the airport, saw 59 per cent of the 400 people in the town contacted by telephone, supported the expansion plans, with only 16 per cent against.

Cllr Canniford said: "Clearly the creation of good jobs and opportunities at Bristol Airport is very important to our town and local economy.

"This has to be done with sensitivity to our neighbours and environment, but as part of our modern way of life we have to find ways to allow business to expand to create wealth for our residents.

"This will never be an easy decision as the expansion is very controversial to many, but the survey seems to show broad support for Bristol Airport and their future plans."

Many readers took to social media to share their views.

John Cadwallader said: "I would like to know what opportunities the ever-growing expansion of the airport has already brought to Weston except encouraging extra traffic.

"The airport bus service has already been down scaled because lack of use."

Ricki Burrows commented: "The airport is in the greenbelt, normal people who apply for planning permission for modest extensions to their homes are refused for impact on the greenbelt yet the airport seems to continue expanding.

"Secondly, what opportunities does this create for Weston? All the shops are closing, we have a dead High Street, few jobs, most people commute to Bristol, that's who will benefit - Bristol not Weston."

Nina May Payne said: "(The expansion is) excellent news for us.

"We run an Airbnb and we get a lot of guests who have landed at Bristol Airport."

Graham Morrissey commented: "The airport is in the wrong place.

"There is no infrastructure to support lulsgate; the road links are terrible, parking is awful, only recently a hotel has been build at expense of loss of parking, no rail links, and so on."