Leeds Bradford Airport to start £100m terminal expansion and refurbishment
Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has announced it will invest more than £100 million into what it says is a ‘vital’ regeneration of its terminal facilities which will dramatically improve the passenger experience etc. The work, which already has planning permission, will start in autumn this year and is expected to complete in 2026. Farrans Construction has been appointed as the contractor to deliver the first phase of the project, the construction of the terminal extension. The regeneration will see a three-storey extension – the equivalent of 9,500 square meters – to the existing terminal, alongside a significant refurbishment of the current terminal building. There will be more aircraft stands, more seating, faster security, new shops and eateries, and a larger baggage reclaim area and immigration hall, as well as improved access for passengers with restricted mobility. They talk of a lot more jobs, direct and indirect, and claim a huge input into the local economy. That, of course, ignores the amount of money lost to the economy, by far more people flying out of the UK on holiday, than flying in.
.
Tweet
Leeds Bradford Airport to start £100m terminal expansion and refurbishment – updated
By westleedslife
October 16, 2023
Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has announced it will invest more than £100 million into what it says is a ‘vital’ regeneration of its terminal facilities which will dramatically improve the passenger experience and help unlock economic growth for the region.
The work, which already has planning permission, will start in autumn this year and is expected to complete in 2026. Farrans Construction has been appointed as the contractor to deliver the first phase of the project, the construction of the terminal extension.
The regeneration will see a three-storey extension – the equivalent of 9,500 square meters – to the existing terminal, alongside a significant refurbishment of the current terminal building.
Passengers will benefit from the creation of additional aircraft stands, more seating, faster security, new shops and eateries, and a larger baggage reclaim area and immigration hall, as well as improved access for passengers with restricted mobility.
By 2030, the regeneration has the potential to create 1,500 new direct jobs at LBA and 4,000 new indirect jobs, as well as contribute a total of £940 million to the local economy.
The regeneration will also help LBA to further decarbonise its operations, as outlined in the airport’s 2030 Net Zero Carbon Roadmap, with the installation of new heating, lighting and machinery, including new baggage belts. It is expected that airlines attracted by the regeneration will accelerate the deployment of their newest, quietest and most efficient aircraft at the airport.
Vincent Hodder, Chief Executive of Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “This announcement marks the beginning of a new era for Leeds Bradford Airport.
“This investment will give us the infrastructure needed to deliver an outstanding customer experience, support the growth of our airline partners, enhance connectivity for business, investment and trade and provide the airport that Leeds, Bradford and Yorkshire have been waiting for.
“LBA is a key asset for our region and our community, our investment enhances and supports broader investments under way in Leeds and Bradford creating new jobs, new opportunities and shared benefits for our community.”
Montague, Regional Director at Farrans Construction, said: “Leeds Bradford Airport has played an integral role in the ambitious growth of the city of Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region, supporting connectivity to some of the world’s best destinations for business and tourism.
“We are looking forward to bringing the vision for its next stage to life through the extension and modernisation of the terminal. This project will be a major boost to the construction industry with jobs created through apprenticeships, direct labour and supply chain.
“We have had a strong connection to Leeds for many years, having delivered a number of important transport and infrastructure projects in the area. We will continue to engage closely with community groups, charities and schools to create local employment, training and apprenticeship opportunities to deliver a positive lasting impact while delivering Leeds Bradford Airport.”
This year, the airport is expected to contribute a total of £460 million to the local economy, directly employing 2,100 people and indirectly supporting 4,500 jobs.
Chris Foren, chair of Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) responded to today’s announcement by the airport.
He said: “GALBA has no objection to upgrading the terminal in a way that reduces its current carbon footprint, though the terminal only accounts for around 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions associated with the airport. Flights cause the overwhelming majority of LBA’s climate damaging greenhouse gas emissions.
“There are two important points to note about the 2019 planning permission:
It does not permit an increase in passenger numbers above five million per year. LBA signed an agreement with Leeds City Council that requires LBA to submit a new planning application in order to exceed five million passengers per year.
It does not change the rules that limit the number of flights allowed at night. GALBA vigorously opposes LBA’s current CLEUD proposals to reinterpret those rules to allow more night time flying.
“GALBA will continue to oppose any plans to increase the number of flights from LBA because of the extremely negative impact this would have on the climate, noise levels and air pollution.”
with images of what it might look like.
.
See earlier.
Leeds Bradford Airport warned by Leeds City council that it breached rules on night-time flights in 2022
Leeds Bradford Airport has been warned it could face legal action after breaching the number of flights allowed at night. Leeds City Council served a breach of planning condition notice after finding that there were there were 3,667 night-time flights last summer – about 25% more than permitted under planning rules. Failure to comply with the limits is a criminal offence. If the airport continues to breach the rules it could be served with an enforcement notice to ensure compliance. The airport is bound to limit flights between 11pm and 7am to minimise noise pollution. An investigation was launched after the council received a complaint in October last year. Leeds Bradford Airport said the technology it used to record flight traffic data was not working correctly. Chris Foren, chair of Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “Last year, we told the council that we believed there had been over 600 more flights than allowed at night from LBA during the 2022 summer season.” It is hoped that the airport will now stick to its limit this summer.
Click here to view full story…
Leeds Bradford Airport has scrapped plans to build a huge new terminal – there will not be a public inquiry
Leeds Bradford Airport has scrapped plans to build a new £150m terminal, saying they had withdrawn proposals because of “excessive delays” and the decision to hold a public inquiry into the development.” That may be because they realise there are very strong reasons, especially on climate, why the terminal should not be built, and they realises there is a likelihood they might lose, wasting money. The expansion plans were first announced in 2020, with a planning application approved by the council in March 2021, despite objections by campaigners and local MPs. There was going to be a public inquiry. The overall impact of the new terminal would have been more planes, more passengers, more carbon emissions. The airport says it will now turn its attention to extending the existing terminal, plans for which were approved by Leeds City Council in 2019. Local opponents, GALBA (Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport) are delighted; they have fought a remarkable, dogged and now successful campaign against the expansion for several years. They said it was a “victory for climate and communities”. The higher aviation CO2 emissions would have made it “impossible” for Leeds city to meet its carbon target.