MP calls on Ministers to block airport plan
TRANSPORT: The Government has been warned that it needs to dramatically intervene to stop the building of a new terminal at Leeds Bradford Airport.
Alex Sobel, who represents Leeds North West, where the airport is based, has asked Whitehall to call in the decision to approve the expansion owing to concerns about the environment.
THE Government has been warned that it needs to dramatically intervene to stop the building of a new terminal at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA).
Alex Sobel, who represents Leeds North West, where the airport is based, has asked Whitehall to call in the decision made by councillors this month to approve the £150m expansion owing to huge concerns about the effect of extra flights on the environment.
But not everyone is supportive of the MP’s move, as one regional transport heavyweight said the decision would help open up Yorkshire as a “gateway to Europe”.
Following further discussions this week Leeds Council planning chiefs voted to continue to back plans to rebuild LBA’s terminal, with some members expressing concerns that, should they reject the application, it would be overturned on appeal and the authority would have to pay extra costs.
But Labour MP Mr Sobel, who has been a long-time critic of the airport’s vision, believes a local council plans panel should never have been allowed to make such a decision.
He said: “I have requested that the split decision of the crossparty plans panel to grant the new terminal and extend flight times at Leeds Bradford Airport be called in by the Government.
“This application was predicated on an expansion of flights equating to three million more passengers annually, which is not in keeping with the sixth and subsequent UK carbon budgets which calls for no net increase in aviation emissions, nor is it in keeping with the recent Heathrow judgment in the Supreme Court.
“I do not believe that a local plans panel of 14 councillors is in any way a competent body to be making a decision of this significance.
“Applications which significantly affect the carbon budget must be made nationally.”
Environmental campaigners have long been opposed to plans to increase the size of the airport, as they claim such a move would increase the capacity for extra flights, thus creating an increase in carbon emissions which would dwarf any positive work done locally to combat climate change.
Some business leaders in the region, however, say such an expansion would be vital to the future of the region’s economy.
Members of Leeds Council’s city plans panel, who approved proposals for the new terminal in principle last month, met this week to discuss further issues faced by developers wanting to rebuild the facility.
A report by council officers said the airport could not demolish the whole of the current terminal once the new one was built, as it contains much of the site’s crucial infrastructure.
The airport said it had to introduce planned extended flying times before the new terminal was completed for commercial reasons. Councillors allowed the old building to remain standing for the time being, but stood firm on extending the flying times only once the new terminal was finished.
LBA chief executive officer Vincent Hodder said: “We are delighted that our plans for a replacement terminal have been awarded planning consent by Leeds City Council, enabling us to become an outstanding net zero airport, delivering a much-improved passenger experience and creating thousands of jobs, helping to support our region’s recovery.
“We would like to thank those that have supported our application through the statutory process.”
UK carbon budgets call for no net increase in aviation emissions. Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel.