Meeting UK aviation demand & expansion

Cleared for take-off: Building trust in the skies

Copper is helping airports reshape UK aviation. From navigating Development Consent Orders (DCO) to progressing complex airspace changes, we help aviation projects gain the support to unlock growth and value.

Passenger demand in the UK is expected to nearly double over the next 20 years, placing increasing demand on airport infrastructure and services. Continued airport developments are key to meeting this demand; however, they require more than planning permission – they also need public buy-in.

Engage with local communities and build the social licence

We work closely with aviation industry partners to engage with local communities and build the social licence needed to help deliver projects on time and on budget. We have supported RiverOak Strategic Partners through a complex DCO process and airspace redesign as it plans to reopen Kent’s Manston Airport.

At Bristol Airport, our public engagement helped shift public perception in support of the airport’s masterplan, which will, potentially, facilitate the airport to serve an extra 15 million passengers yearly.

SAF IP – UKRI

Copper advanced Innovate UK Business Connect’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Innovation Programme (SAF IP) by creating a tailored communications campaign that showcased its impact and success. We expanded the programme’s media presence through new platforms such as podcasts, reaching a total audience of 110,000 people. By connecting the client with key journalists, we solidified SAF IP’s reputation as a trusted sector authority. Our organic and paid social media campaigns boosted exposure to SAF developments, investment opportunities and innovation leadership, helping secure a global event speaker slot and grow its LinkedIn network by 31.3% from June 2024 to June 2025.

See how we increased their media presence

Bristol Airport

Copper built public support for proposals to expand one of the UK’s largest regional airports to 15 million passengers per year in a complex stakeholder environment. Our engagement strategy told a human-centred, benefits-focused story about the airport’s growth, combined with a strategic advocacy campaign highlighting its economic and social value. Alongside developing consultation materials, we produced impactful ‘spotlight videos’ that showcased the airport’s economic and innovation credentials. The consultation closed with over 2000 responses, approximately half of which expressed positive support for the airport’s expansion.

Increasing positive community support

RiverOak Strategic Partners – Manston

Copper neutralised opposition to the UK’s first airport redevelopment in over two decades, enabling the transformation of Manston Airfield into a thriving international freight hub. The project supports economic growth and job creation across Kent while protecting a nationally significant aviation asset. We supported the DCO consultation by gathering insights to inform project design and helped navigate a judicial review by engaging opponents and mobilising supporters and ambassadors. Currently, we are leading an airspace change consultation, managing a technically complex, stakeholder-driven process to agree flight paths that balance operational needs with the interests of airspace users and local communities.

Supporting economic growth and job creation