Leeds Bradford Airport served with enforcement notice by Leeds Council over ‘historic’ rule breaches with noisy night flights

The council took action over the types of aircraft allowed to fly from Leeds-Bradford Airport (LBA) between 11pm-7am.

Leeds City Council said the airport breached a planning condition which does not allow planes deemed too noisy to fly between those hours.

LBA said the breaches were “historic” and measures to restrict such flights had been in place since 2023.

A council spokesperson said: “The notice requires the airport to take steps to ensure there are no further breaches of the condition.

“The airport has the right to appeal against the serving of the notice.”

The move was welcomed by GALBA, the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport, which campaigns against night flights.

GALBA chairman Nick Hodgkinson said: “LBA has been ignoring the rules by flying noisy old planes in the early hours when people are trying to sleep.”

Aircraft are given a Quota Count (QC) number based on their noise impact around airports.

Leeds City Council said LBA data showed there were 272 night-time departures by QC1 aircraft between July 11, 2008, and December 23, 2019.

The enforcement notice said non-compliance with the planning condition “fails to minimise the potential for increased noise disturbance to residents in the vicinity of the airport.”

It added: “It appears to the council that the above breach of planning control has occurred within the last ten years.”

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LBA previously appealed against separate planning decisions by the council restricting night-time flights.

The airport company has also called for a public inquiry into night flight planning conditions.

An LBA spokesperson said: “This enforcement notice relates to a small proportion of historic breaches by older, nosier aircraft of night-time departure limits.

“In 2023, we implemented robust measures to actively manage the use of these aircraft, with any airline found to be in breach of the restrictions now being fined and the monies raised put towards local community causes.”