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Despite objections over the environmental impact, plans to build a replacement terminal building at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) have been recommended for approval from the week commencing 11 February.
Leeds Live reports that airport chiefs submitted an application in May 2020 for the construction of a three-floor, 365,000 square foot replacement terminal building on an alternative site to replace the existing building from 1965.
The proposals include an extension of the airport’s daytime flying period to run from 6 am to 11.30 pm and an increase in the number of flights.
LBA says that the new terminal would significantly improve passenger experience and create one of the UK’s most environmentally efficient airport buildings, as well as supporting the region’s economic growth.
The new terminal will support a potential increase in passengers using LBA from four million a year currently to seven million by 2030. It has also been estimated that the new development will support 12,650 permanent jobs across the Leeds City Region, and create 650 construction roles during the build.
The application will be considered by Leeds City Council’s City Plans Panel on 11 February. A planning officer’s report prepared for the meeting has recommended that approval is granted, subject to conditions and the signing of a legal agreement.
The council has received 1,953 objections, mainly with concerns that include the impact of there construction on the environment, issues surrounding highways and vehicular access, as well as health and noise concerns.
MPs Alex Sobel, Hilary Benn, Richard Burgon, Fabian Hamilton and Rachel Reeves have also objected.
However, there have also been 1,281 letters of support, including backing from the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and airline KLM.
The planning officer’s report said: “Central to the proposed scheme, is the development of a well-designed, more efficient, carbon-neutral replacement terminal building.
“This will not only be more operationally efficient but will provide a ‘Gateway’ to Leeds and beyond and will greatly improve the passenger and employee experience and provide higher quality welcome for travellers to the city and the region. Linked to this, the proposed development will bring associated economic benefits.”
The report also highlighted that the carbon reduction achieved by the replacement terminal and ground operations exceed the planning policy requirements. It stated that canon emissions from flights are a consideration, but that national policy points to this being matter to be primarily considered at a national level.
Any suppression of planned growth as LBA, it added, will lead to other airports taking up the demand, and the associated flight emissions, and without the region benefiting from the economic growth.
However, Chris Foren, chair of the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA), urged council members to refuse consent.
“It would be ‘plane’ crazy to allow the airport to double its greenhouse gas emissions in the middle of the climate emergency,” he said. “Scientists all over the world are urging us to cut emissions as fast as we can. We have the power to tackle the climate crisis by making the right choices now.”
The new proposal was first revealed in January 2020 and replaces a previously consented scheme. The project will be privately funded by LBA’s owner AMP Capital.
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