Leeds Bradford Airport plans would ‘affect schools and poor areas’, young campaigners claim

In an open letter sent to senior council decision-makers, Leeds YouthStrike4Climate has claimed the plans, which could see the number of flights at the facility increase, could disproportionately affect both disadvantaged areas and schoolchildren.

The airport responded by claiming its plans would actually benefit the poorest areas of Leeds, as the replacement terminal would bring an economic boost to the city.

Plans submitted earlier this year by Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) claimed a ‘state of the art’ terminal would include three main floors with improved vehicle access. It would also be closer to a proposed parkway rail station, announced by Leeds City Council last year.

But campaigners and LBA at odds over the environmental impact of the plans, as the campaigners claim extra flights would undoubtedly have a huge impact on Co2 levels, while the airport claims the proposed facility would be more environmentally friendly than its current one.

The open letter warns airport expansion would make it impossible for Leeds City Council to keep its promise to make the city carbon neutral by 2030.

A statement from the climate strikers said: “There are 36 schools under the flight-path and more noise from increased flights would risk further disrupting pupils’ education following the Covid-19 crisis.”

Campaigner Annwen Thurlow added: “Our house is already on fire – we cannot let this expansion add more fuel. The council has a responsibility to protect our health and wellbeing.”

Leeds YS4C activist Robbie Strathdee said: “The flight-path cuts right across the city, so expansion would do damage to some of Leeds’ most disadvantaged communities.

“The climate crisis is intrinsically an issue of racial and social justice, with disadvantaged communities already suffering its impacts most severely in Leeds and beyond. We mustn’t heap injustice upon injustice through expansion.

“A green recovery for Leeds could look like whatever we want and need as a city – but it cannot look like an expanded airport.”

A response to the statement on behalf of LBA stated while it understood the concerns expressed by Leeds YouthStrike4Climate, the development would in fact create an ‘economic boost to our regio