Leeds Bradford Airport boss hits back in row over night flights

Conditions imposed on Leeds Bradford Airport limit the number of night flights it can operate

The boss of Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has hit back at critics in an escalating row over night flights.

LBA has applied to Leeds City Council for a series of certificates of lawful development (CLEUD).

It said it was not seeking to operate "unlimited" night flights, but wanted an exemption for quieter aircraft and emergency flights.

Campaigners said there was potential for "unlimited" activity if the certificates were granted.

In an open letter, LBA's Chief Executive Vincent Hodder described such suggestions as "misleading".

He said: "Some of the statements we have seen suggest that the granting of these CLEUD applications would lead to a huge increase in the number of night flights. This is absolutely not the case.

"Contrary to speculation, LBA is not seeking to change the planning conditions that apply to the airport.

"The CLEUD applications will provide a determination and clarify how the existing planning permission, written nearly 30 years ago, should operate.

"This will allow LBA to ensure that it remains compliant with the conditions in a complicated and changing landscape."

Critics have also attacked LBA for applying for the certificates, rather than applying for a change to its planning conditions because the public could not respond, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"LBA has not chosen the CLEUD process in order to avoid public comment via some more democratic process," Mr Hodder said.

"The CLEUD process is simply the legal route prescribed to clarify lawful use under an existing planning permission."

Campaigners said there was potential for "unlimited" activity if the certificates were granted

The night-flight conditions were breached nearly 750 times in the 2022 summer season, according to the council.

Due to the "significant public interest" in the operations of the airport, the council said it was undertaking "a call for evidence".

It is seeking relevant factual evidence - such as flight data, flight times, flight frequency and size of aircraft - relating to the specific operations at the airport outlined in two of the applications.

Further clarity is being sought on the remaining three applications, a spokesperson said.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council's executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure, said: "The council recognises that planning matters relating to Leeds Bradford Airport are often the subject of much public interest.

"The call for evidence announced today means that third parties, including members of the public, may play a part in providing relevant evidence on these two applications.

"Please note, however, that determination cannot take into account evidence or comments which fall outside the process's tightly-defined parameters.

"This approach is not a matter of choice for planning authorities, it is one laid down in law."