Cllrs approve Leeds airport expansion

Leeds City Council has approved plans to expand Leeds Bradford Airport. 

The expansion, which is still subject to the additional condition that are yet to be negotiated, would involve building a whole new terminal, worth an estimated £150m.

The expansion plans also include improved vehicle access, a new parkway rail station, new taxi stations, new car parking areas and a bus terminal.

Cllrs voted by nine votes to five to agree to the plans in principle.

The Aviation Environment Federation has warned that this is a backwards step, deputy director Cait Hewitt said: ‘This decision will entrench in the Leeds economy the growth of a carbon-intensive industry with diminishing returns when it comes to employment.

‘Most people want our local and national economies to be rebuilt in a way that gives us a better environmental future after the pandemic, with cleaner air and more green industries that can create and sustain green jobs. Encouraging growth in aviation will take us in the opposite direction; flying is one of the most environmentally damaging things an individual can do and there are no zero emissions planes on the horizon for commercial routes.

‘While the government says it is committed to achieving net-zero emissions, it hasn’t set out any plans for delivering that in aviation. The promised policy on this is long overdue. With the UK’s climate watchdog, the CCC, having now advised no net increase in UK airport capacity, decisions like the one taken today by Leeds City Council represent a backwards step.

‘Our analysis shows that if all airport expansion plans in the UK are granted permission, they will add an additional 9MtCO2 by 2050.’

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