Airport to revisit plan for night flight changes

Currently Leeds Bradford Airport is permitted 2,920 take offs and landings between 23:00 and 07:00 during the summer

Leeds Bradford Airport bosses are considering making a fresh bid to change the rules on night time flights.

The airport has sent early proposals to Leeds City Council, which could replace the existing restrictions.

An appeal against a decision to limit the number of night flights was previously launched by the airport, but was rejected in July.

A Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) spokesperson said the new changes would encourage the use of cleaner and quieter planes.

The spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it had sent the council a briefing document for a potential application to vary or remove a condition of its existing agreement.

The document said: "These restrictions are over 30 years old and are therefore significantly outdated, presenting no incentive for airlines to modernise their aircraft fleets."

Airport bosses stressed the document did not represent finalised proposals.

The spokesperson said amending conditions on the existing planning permission would bring it into line with guidelines from the Civil Aviation Authority, the UK's independent aviation regulator.

They added: "The final form of such an application has not yet been determined and LBA will continue to engage with Leeds City Council to structure a set of limits that promotes the deployment of quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft to support the future growth of our local airport."

'Defined limits'

Currently LBA is permitted 2,920 take offs and landings between 23:00 and 07:00 during the summer.

The Group for Action on Leeds-Bradford Airport (GALBA), a campaigning organisation opposed to the airport's expansion, said the changes could mean an existing cap on night flights could be replaced with an annual "noise quota count".

They said the period officially classed as night-time, when restrictions apply, could also be reduced by 90 minutes to 23:30 to 06:00.

Airlines were "already upgrading their fleets with newer planes that will save them money on fuel," the group said.

Group chairman Nick Hodgkinson said: "Having failed several times before, the airport once again wants to change the night flight rules.

"It's all about flying more and more planes at night, which means more noise and more pollution."

LBA previously appealed against a council decision to restrict some aircraft from flying after 23:00.

A public inquiry dismissed two of three planning appeals lodged by the airport in a decision published in July.

The council confirmed it had received the briefing document but said it was inappropriate to comment on a future planning application.

A spokesperson said: "We are aware of the issues which have been raised by GALBA.

"It should be noted that existing planning permits the airport to operate on a 24-hour basis within carefully defined limits."