Leeds Bradford Airport: Public enquiry into night-time flights to be held following 'nightmare' complaints

It will consider an appeal from airport bosses against a Leeds City Council planning decision which restricts certain types of aircraft from flying after 11pm.

The appeal will be considered by an independent planning inspector at a hearing which starts today (Tuesday).

The Planning Inspectorate inquiry will consider three applications for Certificates of Lawfulness of Existing Use or Development (CLEUDS).

The certificates applied for by the airport seek a re-interpretation of the existing rules on the number of noisier aircraft allowed to fly at night.

A council spokesperson said: “All three applications were submitted by the airport in December 2023.

“The planning inspector will determine the appeals based on all evidence presented during the inquiry.

“Given that this is a live process, it would be inappropriate for the council to comment further.”

Last September the council issued an enforcement notice against LBA after it was found to have breached noise rules.

At the time Leeds-Bradford Airport (LBA) said measures were in place to stop noisy overnight flights.

The company has insisted that it’s legal interpretation of planning conditions on night flights is correct.

Vincent Hodder, LBA chief executive, said: “The inquiry process will allow an informed decision to be made by an independent third party on the correct legal interpretation of the existing planning, so we can continue to deliver an airport Yorkshire can be proud of.

“We want to sustainably develop our airport, make it fit for the future and meet the demand for international connectivity that exists in our region.

“We want to play our part in driving economic growth in Yorkshire.”

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Campaigners have previously argued that night flights can cause damage to human health, air quality and the climate.

Nicky Ford, a campaigner who lives in Headingley, previously said: “Night flights are a nightmare. My house is directly under the flight path and the noise is unbearable.

“The planes wake me up all the time - it’s really bad for my health. The World Health Organisation says that night time noise is related to all kinds of serious illnesses.

“Here in Leeds, the airport is allowed to fly thousands of planes at night every year. That’s bad news for people like me who live under the flight path but what’s worse is that LBA has flown hundreds more planes than allowed.”

Airport bosses, the council and the Group for Action on Leeds-Bradford Airport (GALBA) are expected to give evidence at the inquiry.