Leeds Bradford Airport to start £100m terminal expansion project
Work is due to start on a £100m revamp of Leeds Bradford Airport, including a new three-storey extension.
Airport bosses say the project will "dramatically improve the passenger experience and help unlock economic growth". They claim it could be worth almost £1bn to the economy.
The first phase - the extension to the terminal - will begin this autumn and is due to finish in 2026.
Airport chief executive Vincent Hodder said the announcement marked "the beginning of a new era".
The plans include an extension which will create a 9,500 sq m space. The current terminal building will receive additional aircraft stands, more seating, faster security, new shops and cafes and a larger baggage reclaim area and immigration hall.
There will also be improved access for passengers with restricted mobility.
The airport says the installation of new heating, lighting and machinery, including new baggage belts, will make the airport more environmentally friendly.
Bosses say the regeneration could create 5,500 jobs at the airport and in the supply chain, as well as contribute a total of £940m to the local economy.
The project comes as the airport is embroiled in a row with campaigners after it breached limits on night-time flights last summer.
The Yeadon-based airport has applied to Leeds City Council for permission to run what the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) has described as an "unlimited" number of supposedly quieter planes to take off and land between 11pm and 7am.
Mr Hodder said the suggestion of unlimited flights was "misleading" and said the airport was seeking clarity on how 30-year-old permissions should operate.
He 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 underway in Leeds and Bradford creating new jobs, new opportunities and shared benefits for our community."
Cathal Montague, regional director at contractor Farrans Construction, which will build the terminal extension, said: "This project will be a major boost to the construction industry with jobs created through apprenticeships, direct labour and supply chain."
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