Leeds Bradford Airport £100m Regeneration Programme

[lbaspotter]

Another interesting article has appeared on the Business Desk website this morning after the Airports CEO Vincent Hodder did a speech at the recent Business of Yorkshire Conference.

Airport boss call for 'true collaboration' to tackle headwinds facing infrastructure projects | TheBusinessDesk.com

Leeds Bradford Airport CEO Vincent Hodder urged Yorkshire’s business and political leaders to come together with a new sense of purpose to tackle the

www.thebusinessdesk.com

Airport boss call for ‘true collaboration’ to tackle headwinds facing infrastructure projects​

December 04 2025

Leeds Bradford Airport CEO Vincent Hodder urged Yorkshire’s business and political leaders to come together with a new sense of purpose to tackle the economic and regulatory headwinds threatening major infrastructure projects across the region.

Speaker at the Business of Yorkshire Conference, which was sponsored by EY, the British Business Bank, and TheBusinessGrid, and held at the Marriott Hotel in Leeds, Hodder laid out both the scale of the airport’s ambition and the stark realities in shaping what can be delivered. His message was clear: Yorkshire’s potential remains enormous – but the path to securing the airport the region deserves is becoming increasingly challenging.

Hodder began by reflecting on Leeds Bradford Airport’s five-year investment plan, originally valued at £200m and intended to transform passenger experience, modernise the terminal, build new aircraft stands, expand airfield infrastructure and strengthen transport connections with the wider city region. Yet despite strong commercial intent, he said the pressures created by rising business rates, increased staffing costs, and a broader economic slowdown have forced LBA to reduce its investment envelope to around £150m.

“That’s the direct impact on people willing to put forward private investment to drive infrastructure in this country,” Hodder said. “When positive cashflow is reduced, when profitability is diminished, it shows up in reduced investment, slower growth, and fewer opportunities for employment across our region.”

The airport’s plans still include significant improvements – from terminal refurbishments and a new on-site hotel to the long-discussed railway station that could finally integrate LBA into the city’s transport network. But Hodder stressed that meaningful progress would depend on making it easier for private investors to commit long-term capital to northern infrastructure.

“Developing infrastructure in the UK is hard. It’s really, hard,” he said, pointing to years of planning delays and a procurement process he described as slow, unclear and often disconnected from the needs of regional economies. He cited one example – the national timeline for installing new e-gates – which has been pushed to 2027 because of drawn-out government contracting processes.

Despite the financial constraints, Hodder affirmed that LBA’s decarbonisation targets remain firmly in place. The airport – one of the first in the UK to commit to net zero by 2030 – has already reduced its emissions by over 50% from 2019 levels, and he confirmed the team is confident in hitting its next reduction milestones by 2025.

“We chose that target because it aligns with Leeds City Council’s climate emergency commitment,” Hodder said. “We believe in supporting the ambitions of our local authority, and we’re determined to deliver against them.”

But the most powerful theme running through Hodder’s speech was collaboration. He called on councils, businesses, industry partners and government bodies to form what he described as a “true team” for Yorkshire – one that shares risk, responsibility and ambition equally.

“We firmly believe that by working together, we create better outcomes,” he said. “We need local councils and local businesses to form a genuine partnership. Yorkshire has the resilience, the ambition and the ingenuity – but we need to align around common goals if we want to break through the barriers that have held this region back for too long.”

Hodder underscored the wider economic impact of investment in LBA, predicting that the airport’s expansion could support 3,600 direct jobs by 2030 – up from 2,400 today – and as many as 8,500 indirect roles across supply chains, tourism and associated services. He also highlighted that a planned £100m investment in airfield infrastructure alone could generate £940m a year for the regional economy.

Yet he contrasted this potential with the ongoing struggle to secure public funding for the long-awaited airport parkway station – something he described as a critical piece of regional infrastructure. “Since 2018, we have struggled to get commitment to the funding of a railway station,” he said. “Leeds remains one of the few large cities in Europe without a local public transport system connecting its airport.”

Hodder’s solution was unambiguous: a more united regional voice, clearer communication between business and government, and an approach to regulation that rewards collaboration rather than slowing it down.

“If we’re serious about high-quality infrastructure, we need to work together to remove obstacles to growth,” he said. “The more connected our network becomes – suppliers, customers, councils, investors – the more opportunity we create. Not just economically, but for the people who call this region home.”

His closing message was both a warning and a rallying call: Yorkshire’s future prosperity depends on its ability to act collectively and boldly at a time when economic pressures are mounting.

“Other regions are moving faster. If we want to compete, if we want the infrastructure our businesses and communities deserve, we need new ways of working together,” Hodder said. “Because the opportunities are there – we just need to unlock them.”

 

[Len Fish]

He’s right but given the WYCA and the current Mayor of West Yorkshire I’m not optimistic.

 

[dmrodgers]

He talks about an airport cut in spending from £200m to £150m do know what this £50m reduction means in real terms.

 

[White Heather]

He talks about an airport cut in spending from £200m to £150m do know what this £50m reduction means in real terms.

Well its not the terminal that's being impacted, so it can only be what came next, which were 8 more aircraft stands, a resurfaced runway and eventually a new pier. Take your pick.
He's absolutely right and is clearly becoming frustrated at the constant procrastination and failure to support the airport. Meanwhile, Reeves proclaims support for airports but seemingly so she can double business rates and use them as a cash cow. That will, as seen already, dampen down investment plans and in some cases lead to smaller airports closing, the latest of which is Coventry, after 90 years.

I hope our esteemed actress/Mayor was there to hear that. What he suggests is exactly what she should be doing, but apparently isn't.

 

[Aviador]

I feel like we've had no update for quite a long time now. I'm sure @White Heather mentioned the airport had commissioned a new fly through of the new development? Has anybody got access to any of the areas under redevelopment where they might be able to grab a few sneaky pictures?

 

[Sputnik1]

Not much happened to the new CSZ/old Baggage Reclaim over the New Year, this is the current state

 

[HX3]

Is this area expected to be the first of the phase 2 areas to be worked on, or has it just been cleared and they are working elsewhere? Literature stated a staged approach to the second phase developments, but I’m not sure if there is a list of tasks. It would be interesting to understand where they are in the timeline. As an aside, has the landscaping been finished outside of the extension and if so, are there any photos anywhere.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Is this area expected to be the first of the phase 2 areas to be worked on, or has it just been cleared and they are working elsewhere? Literature stated a staged approach to the second phase developments, but I’m not sure if there is a list of tasks. It would be interesting to understand where they are in the timeline. As an aside, has the landscaping been finished outside of the extension and if so, are there any photos anywhere.

Progress was covered in the last ACC report.

 

[HX3]

I appreciate you documented it in December based on your attendance, and that you mentioned there were images presented to you, but I asked about whether there was a schedule to understand where the old baggage area was in that timeline.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I appreciate you documented it in December based on your attendance, and that you mentioned there were images presented to you, but I asked about whether there was a schedule to understand where the old baggage area was in that timeline

This is the paragraph in the report relating to LBAREGEN

1. LBA-Regen: Phase one is now complete. Phase two has been underway for roughly 6 months. Various images of works in progress were shown. The whole of the old terminal interior has been stripped. There have been issues that have slowed the works, the sheer quantity of wiring has been one of them, tracing where it goes and if it is redundant or not. Additionally there have been problems securing fire retardant material to the 'Chipcrete' beams that form part of the structure of the building. These delays mean the expected completion date is now early 2027. However, it is anticipated that the central screening area (the old baggage hall) will be functional for Summer 2026. The two new stands are still undergoing testing.

I assume the next update will come in the form of a report on the next ACC on 1st April.

 

[EX9]

The new security area is now further behind schedule due to all the set backs and will not be open in time for summer.

 

[jackLBA]

The new security area is now further behind schedule due to all the set backs and will not be open in time for summer.

Not good considering how long the queues were this summer, is there a rough estimate on when it will be completed?

 

[Aviador]

I hope the airside section will become glazed to let some light in. It has been my biggest bugbear of the old terminal, probably more so than the low ceilings. If they can increase the ceiling hight and bring light into the building it will make a huge difference.

 

[jackLBA]

Does anyone have any images of what the layout will be of the new terminal both floors?

 

[Aviador]

Does anyone have any images of what the layout will be of the new terminal both floors?

The layout plans were posted early on in this thread along with some CGI images.

 

[SierraHotel]

It appears work to construct a new bus 'station' outside the terminal frontage may well have started.

 

[Aviador]

I

It appears work to construct a new bus 'station' outside the terminal frontage may well have started.

Didn't know they were doing that. Are there any plans anywhere?

 

[SierraHotel]

Sentinel were invited to a meeting with LBA recently in which details of the scheme were communicated.

 

[lbaspotter]

Sentinel were invited to a meeting with LBA recently in which details of the scheme were communicated.

I guess bus station will have to be big enough to accommodate all the current bus operators, so will at least need 6-7 stands? Then the are coaches if and when we get diverts...

• LBA onsite Car Park shuttles
• Sentinel
• Park2Travel
• Flyerbuses A1 to Leeds (Every 30 Mins)
• Flyerbuses A2/A3 to Bradford (Every 30 Min)
• Flyerbuses A2 to Harrogate and A3 to Otley (Both Hourly)

Oh lets hope its covered too

 

[leedslad]

Plus, you would hope, future proofing for the wonderful train station shuttle bus option