Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport will fight night flights

Responding to the news that LBA has submitted another CLEUD application in relation to the operation of night flights, the GALBA'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.”

On Tuesday Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) issued a statement to say it has submitted a new CLEUD (Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development) application to Leeds City Council (LCC) in relation to the operation of night movements following what it said was "a period of detailed discussions".

The Yeadon-based airport said in a statement: "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 nighttime 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 These restrictions are over 30 years old and out of date with current CAA, DfT and government policy.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.

"Following the outcome of the public inquiry held in Spring 2025, it is LBA’s intention that the new CLEUD application will formalise the Planning Inspector’s decision into local planning law."

Leeds Bradford Airport (Image: NQ)

LBA’s previous CLEUD applications seeking to reinterpret the meaning of local night flight rules were rejected by the Council in 2024 and by a Public Inquiry in 2025.

Ian Coatman, GALBA’s Secretary said: “So far, the Council hasn’t published any details of the application but we know what LBA wants - massively more night flights. This is despite the mountains of well researched medical evidence that night time noise and air pollution harm human health. And, of course, more greenhouse gases would be disastrous for the planet.”

GALBA says that in a letter published on the Leeds Planning Portal, Leeds City Council has stated that "these types of applications [CLEUDs] are not subject to consultation". GALBA says "it is unclear if this means the public will not be invited to make any comments at all on LBA’s application".

Ian Coatman added: “We know for a fact that the Council can choose to invite factual and legal comments from the public. We know this because it’s exactly what they did with LBA's previous CLEUD applications. They should do it again - this is a matter of very high public interest.”