New details of fresh Leeds Bradford Airport night flights application issued by City Council

City Council received the new Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development (CLEUD) application from Leeds Bradford Airport on February 16, and the local authority has now confirmed details of the process it will follow.

The application, which has been published in full today on the council’s public access planning system, seeks to establish the lawfulness of take-offs and landings at the airport at night by certain types of aircraft.

CLEUD applications involve a different decision-making process to an application for planning permission and, as such, the council is keen to clarify the next steps it will take.

“The council recognises that planning matters relating to Leeds Bradford Airport are often the subject of much public interest,” said Coun Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for transport.

“Today’s call for evidence gives third parties, including members of the public, the opportunity to provide material relevant to the airport’s new CLEUD application. It must be stressed, however, that decisions on a CLEUD application cannot take into account evidence or comments which fall outside the determination process’s tightly-defined parameters.

“These parameters are not set by planning authorities such as the council, they are laid down in national law.”

The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 gives local planning authorities discretion in certain circumstances to issue a call for evidence from third parties - including members of the public - when dealing with an application for a CLEUD.

Third parties now have 21 days to submit relevant factual evidence - such as flight data, flight times, flight frequency and size of aircraft - relating to the specific operations at Leeds Bradford outlined in the application.

Submissions must also relate to the period covered by the airport’s evidence, which is January 1, 2010, through to December 31, 2019.

Speaking last month, a Leeds Bradford Airport spokesperson said: “The airport communicated in October 2025 that it was exploring the submission of a S73 planning application, however following discussions with LCC, it was decided by LBA that the most appropriate action at this stage was to submit a new CLEUD application based on the decision by the Planning Inspectorate in July 2025.

“LBA is currently permitted to operate a capped number of aircraft arrivals and departures during the night-time period of 2300 – 0700 hrs. These restrictions are over 30 years old and out of date with current CAA, DfT and government policy. They also place LBA at a competitive disadvantage compared to other UK regional airports to the detriment of the West Yorkshire economy.”

Leeds City Council note that a call for evidence is different to a ‘public consultation’, with general comments, objections and opinions not being invited as they cannot be taken into account during the determination process.

Decisions on CLEUD applications must instead be made purely on the basis of relevant factual evidence assessed against a legal test.

City Council previously issued the airport with an enforcement notice in September 2024 after they were found to have breached noise rules. Two of three subsequent appeals were dismissed.

How to submit formal evidence

People who believe they have factual evidence relevant to the airport’s application are asked to e-mail the information - including any verifying details - to the council at [email protected] no later than March 25.

As is standard practice, evidence received will be shared with the applicant prior to the assessment and determination of the application by the council.

The application - which relates to aircraft classed as being less than 87 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise Decibel) - can be found on the council’s public access planning system under reference number 26/00926/CLE.