Barcelona mayor calls to stop airport expansion over environmental concerns

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau has urged Catalan authorities to put the planned expansion of the city's Josep Tarradellas airport on hold over environmental concerns.

Despite repeated pledges that the expansion would not impact La Ricarda lagoon, a nature reserve south of Barcelona, reports emerged last Friday that the protected area would be affected by the final enlargement plan.

Catalan president Pere Aragonès later demanded explanations and called to amend the planned expansion to avoid threatening La Ricarda. 

However, sources from Aena, the public-owned authority in charge of Spain’s largest airports, say the Catalan government was fully aware of the plan.