By John Baron
People have until 25 March to submit factual evidence on Leeds Bradford Airport’s plans to introduce more night-time flights.
The plans aim to attract more travellers to the airport, but have been opposed by locals who fear it will lead to more noise and disturbance.
Leeds-Bradford is currently allowed to operate some aircraft arrivals and departures between 11pm and 7am. But Airport bosses argue the restrictions are over 30 years old and place LBA at a competitive disadvantage compared to other UK airports.
Leeds City Council has this week announced details of the process it will follow after its planning department received the new Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development (CLEUD) application from the airport towards the end of February.
The application 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.
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.
And the council, in its capacity as the local planning authority for Leeds, is undertaking a call for evidence in relation to the new application.
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 1 January 2010, through to 31 December 2019.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said: “The council recognises that planning matters relating to Leeds Bradford Airport are often the subject of much public interest.
“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.”
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 11pm and 7am. 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.”
The Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) has vowed to fight the airport’s latest planning application “tooth and nail”.
The group’s chair, Nick Hodgkinson, said: “We were expecting this and we’re well prepared to fight off yet another attempt by the airport to rewrite the rules that limit night time flying.
”We’ve gained hundreds of new members in the past few months and together we will stop LBA from making local lives a misery. The airport’s boss has tried to change the night flight rules twice before and lost both times – we’ll make sure it’s a hat-trick of defeats.
“The airport’s plan for a huge increase in the number of night flights would be very bad news for local people, the air we breathe and the climate we all depend on. GALBA will fight this application tooth and nail.”
People who have factual evidence relevant to the airport’s application are asked to e-mail the information – including any verifying details – to the council at planning@leeds.gov.uk 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 here.
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