Public inquiry to start into airport night flights

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

A public inquiry into night-time flying rules at Leeds Bradford Airport's is set to begin later.

Ahead of the hearing, BBC Yorkshire's Transport Correspondent Spencer Stokes takes a look at the key issues at stake.

What is the inquiry about?

Chaired by an independent planning inspector, the inquiry will consider the legal meaning of the night-time flying rules at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA).

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

However, campaign group Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) say the airport has breached that limit in each of the past three years.

But LBA chief executive, Vincent Hodder says the rules, agreed by Leeds City Council in 1994, do not take into account changes to aircraft technology over the past 30 years to reduce noise.

What's the background to the inquiry?

GALBA say LBA has exceeded its night-time flight limits in 2022, 2023, and 2024 - in the most recent year it said the airport operated 820 more flights than permitted.

The airport has admitted it did "accidentally" breach the night time regulations in 2022 due to "errors taking place in reporting procedures", but claimed it had not gone over in 2023 and 2024 based on its interpretation of the rules.

In a bid to update the 1994 planning consents, LBA applied to Leeds City Council last year for a Certificates of Lawfulness of Existing Use Development (CLEUDs).

It said updating the rules would "provide the correct legal interpretation of the existing planning conditions governing the operation of night flights at LBA".

However, two CLEUD applications were rejected by the council and the third was left "undecided", prompting LBA to appeal to the government's planning inspectorate.

GALBA campaigners also gathered in the chancellor's Leeds West constituency to say the government's backing of plans to expand Heathrow is 'irresponsible'

Where does Leeds City Council stand?

Leeds City Council agreed the original planning consent in 1994 permitting 2,920 night flights, and is responsible for monitoring to make sure LBA does not breach the night time flights cap.

It issued a breach of condition notice against LBA for the additional flights in 2022 and accepted the rules were broken again in 2023, but said the public interest for a prosecution had not been met.

No action has been taken after the alleged breach in summer 2024.

Has aircraft technology changed?

The European Commission said aircraft have become 75% quieter over the last 30 years, but an increase in the number of flights has resulted in a rise in noise disturbance for a greater number of people.

Jet2, who are based at Leeds Bradford Airport, have ordered 146 Airbus A320 Neo aircraft, which the airline said are 50% quieter than their current Boeing 737s.

The Airbus A320 is said to be 50% quieter than Boeing 737s (pictured above)

When will the public inquiry reach a decision?

The Planning Inspector will hear evidence for four days, but it's likely to be several weeks or months before the final decision is announced.

GALBA says if LBA is successful at public inquiry "they will continue to fly hundreds more night flights than the original rules intended to allow.".

The airport said it would not be going through the "difficult, time-consuming and expensive process if this wasn't important to our customers and the airport".

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