Airport did not breach night flights limit

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has welcomed a decision which found it did not break night flying rules during the last three years.

The airport had been accused of breaching a night flight limit during the summer season by campaigners.

However, a ruling by Leeds City Council determined the airport did not break the cap and agreed it can increase night flights every year if aircraft fall within a lower noise category.

LBA's chief executive Vincent Hodder called the decision "an important milestone" but the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) said it was "disappointing".

"Everything we are doing is within what is permitted, what is legal for operation here at the airport, and this is a confirmation that that is absolutely true," Hodder continued.

"We should not be having any more conversations about that going forward."

The airport had been limited to 2,920 aircraft movements between 23:00 and 07:00 BST annually.

GALBA claimed the limit had been breached for four successive years between 2022 and 2025, with more than 500 additional flights each summer season.

Hodder had suggested new aircraft that have a noise level of 87 dB or less should not be included in the summertime night cap figures.

The airport applied to the council for a certificate of lawful existing use or development (CLEUD) that would allow the quieter aircraft to remain outside the night quota.

Leeds City Council approved the application and confirmed a further 941 night flights per year were also permitted by quieter aircraft.

The authority said the decision was based on UK planning law and an assessment of the airport's flight records over a 10-year period.

The authority did stop short of allowing an unlimited number of flights by quieter aircraft, however.

GALBA said they were "pleased" the request for an unlimited number of flights was blocked.

However, they added they "strongly disagree" with the additional 941 planes being able to fly at night over the year.

The campaigners have sent a legal letter to the council asking them to reconsider their decision and are exploring options to challenge the ruling.

Nick Hodgkinson, chair of GALBA, said: "Obviously, it is disappointing that the council has allowed the CLEUD but it's a mixed decision.

"The good news is that they did not allow unlimited nighttime flying at LBA - that is what the airport wanted and they failed."

Hodder added that the framework for the rules should be reconsidered going forward.

"Rather than operate in a world where we are trying to make a 1994 Planning Commission fit into a modern airport operating environment, I would rather get a new set of rules that actually work for a modern airport environment.

"So there are appropriate limits in place that allow for expansion and growth of the airport, that protect the noise exposure of residents around the airport, and that the council is able to administer and monitor our behaviour under a set of rules that make sense."

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