Leeds Bradford Airport could have most environmentally friendly terminal in UK, and help with economic recovery after Covid-19 - Hywel Rees, airport CEO

Hywel Rees, CEO of Leeds Bradford Airport

The new building will be smaller but more efficient than the old one and it will be the most environmentally friendly airport terminal in the UK.

That application is being made within the terms of the airport’s existing planning consent and within the numbers quoted as part of the Government’s UK Aviation Forecasts 2017 report, which was produced after the 2016 Paris Agreement and takes account of it. This means that LBA’s planning application is completely different from any of the recent applications by Bristol, Heathrow, Stansted and Luton airports, which all requested either additional infrastructure or additional flights beyond their existing consented limits or beyond the 2016 Paris Agreement.

LBA is already an economic hub and the council’s Local Plan supports the continued development of the airport. It is a cornerstone of the regional economy, providing jobs and livelihoods for thousands and vital connectivity for Yorkshire’s economy. In these difficult times of Covid-19, Yorkshire needs its economy to recover quickly and to thrive. LBA’s plans to modernise can be a key part of that recovery.

Of course aviation carbon is mostly about flying. That’s an international issue and it’s something that airlines and aircraft manufacturers are very focused on (in fact, carbon emissions from aircraft have been falling steeply since the 1960s).

Many of your readers will rightly be concerned about noise and surface access.

On noise, I would like to reassure them that LBA’s plans do not involve a significant increase in noise levels. This is for a number of reasons, mainly relating to the introduction of quieter aircraft, improved operating procedures and noise mitigation measures.

On surface access, I’m looking forward to introducing a liveried coach service direct from Leeds Station and Bradford Station as well as a subsidised, secure bus service for staff living in Bradford and other measures to reduce car use. LBA’s modernisation will improve the sustainability of Yorkshire’s travel infrastructure by reducing carbon emissions and taking traffic off congested roads.

LBA needs to modernise. Yorkshire deserves an airport it can be proud of.