Future Infrastructure Developments

[Pat]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THESE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SENT LETTERS IN AGAINST THE IMPROVEMENTS FLY AND IF THEY DO WHY ARE THEY AGAINST IT - AND WHAT WOULD THEY SAY IF THE AIRPORT AUTHORITIES DECIDED TO SHED JOBS - AND THE LOSS OF JOBS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES WHICH WOULD THEN FOLLOW

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Exactly RIP

I just posted on a forum else where the fact that one in ten car journeys made in Britain are now to a supermarket. So I wonder how many of these anti airport bunch walk to their local supermarkets to do their weekly shop.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I suspect we would find that many of the letters of opposition are pre produced, standard objection letters, coming from groups of tree huggers etc, who don't actually live near the airport and quite probably don't even come from Leeds or the region. In fact, I would think many will be from students living in the City, particularly since it was those same students who invaded the airport not so long ago and staged a sit down protest in the terminal. Take away the students and Friends of the Earth Do Gooders and I think there will not be that many letters of objection to worry about.

Some of those shot themselves in the foot too, by complaining about irrelevent issues such as light aircraft movements. Err, HELLO...... this is an application to build a terminal building and light aircraft movements are nothing to do with this. Still, it didn't stop the Evening Post printing this as an 'issue'. Pity that as our 'local paper' they couldn't be bothered to print anything highlighting how many jobs the scheme would create, and how the bigger airport would help the City develop and compete with our Lancashire bretheren in Manchester! Perhaps reporters have to be negative about everything to qualify for their positions in the newspaper industry.

The planning officers report actually mentions that the letters are pre produced and suggests that they are coming from organisations with their own agenda, so it seems that they are fully aware of the campaign, which of course is not really anti Leeds Bradford - it is anti aviation and anti airport - full stop.

One hopeful sign is that at last weeks JCC, I 'had a go' at the council about the previous deferral suggesting that such major decisions should be considered by councillors from across the City, and not confined to those who are local to the airport and its flight path. One of the councillors there got all uppity with me about it and told the committee rather forcefully that Leeds City Council is NOT opposed to the development of the airport

I think that the 'defer for approval to the Senior Planning Officer' thing is probably because he has to officially rubber stamp applications which are seen as contentious, although I couldn't be sure. I don't think it would cause any major delay (at least I hope not!!) and that this is just a matter of procedure. The last Planning Officer report in April also recommended the same deferral and approval.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

[textarea]Clear for takeoff as airport gets the go ahead for expansion.[/textarea]

Finally common sense prevails and the airport can at last expand to provide the facilities that the Leeds City Region deserves. Passengers travelling through the airport this summer can at least look forward to the more specious facilities ready for around the beginning of summer 2011.

 

[yorkshire]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

AT LAST ... what great news about time those Leeds planners see sense!!

 

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Fantastic news!!! :yahoo: Definitely worth a celebratory drink tonight me thinks. :drinks:

A good day all round really as far as planning is concerned as we are going to get an Ice Skating Arena too - planning approval granted for that as well today - so before too long we will have an Ice Hockey Team in Leeds - at last.

 

[backtrack]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Excellent! I was over the moon when i awaited the news story on Look North tonight. Definately the right decision and cant wait for the wheels to be put into motion now and we actually see happen what we wanted!

 

[wawkrk]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Finally the fog has lifted. Fantastic news.
Congratulations to the LBA management team for all their hard work.

 

[lbaspotter]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Great news all around. And about time too. Its the news we have all been waiting to hear.

Can I aslo say a big thankyou to everyone that is involved with The Leeds Bradford Airport Support Group.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Great news for LBA and the region.

With the professional planning advisers to the council being in favour the elected representatives were always going to struggle to justify rejecting the application.

Councillors invariably play politics for the benefit of their gallery (the electorate). In the end they know they will certainly be on a loser if they go against perfectly proper professional advice and although will play a game of brinkmanship will capitulate in the end.

The alternative is to risk an appeal or legal challenge by the airport which they know they will almost certainly lose AND subject their council tax payers to a large sum in the form of legal costs.

It's not the first time this type of scenario has been acted out with regional airport planning applications.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

This is only phase 1 of the development.

Phase 1 will see the building of the structure to house a new check-in facility and provide the new enlarged first floor departure area. Until phase 2 is complete, the security screening will be temporarily located on the ground floor of the phase 1 development until such time that phase 2 is completed when security can then move to a permanent location believed to be on the first floor. New check-in facilities can then open on the ground floor of the phase 1 development. So the exterior works to be carried out over the next year or so will by no means complete the work yet to be done although from a passenger prospective will be vastly better than the current set-up.

Full details of the phase 2 development are still to be released.

 

[Rob]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

The eagerly waited decision at last, good news all round.

I was thinking of the long term impact this decision would have on the general future economic growth of Leeds, and we probably can't overstate how important that decision was yesterday.

Now we can look forward to seeing the first signs of the phase 1 work.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Infrastructure Developments


That is what seems to have happened - according to the ever so negative Yorkshire Evening Post, the Councillors voted 4-3 in favour of the expansion, subject apparently to some slight tweaking (no details given). Even the airport press release says 'Agreed in Principle', so it will be interesting to see what the tweak turns out to be.

Frankly, it worries me that 3 voted against something that according to the Planning Officer report, was a no brainer. These people represent thousands of people in their wards yet vote against something so critical to the City without even bothering to find out what their electorate think.

Heaven knows what hassle they will have when they get around to submitting a planning application for Phase 2. The airport had better find a way to dress Phase 2 up as something that is not aimed at increasing passenger numbers or flights, otherwise they can expect a similar battle.

Anway, close vote or not, Chris and myself are heading up the pub tonight for a celebratory drink

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Have a drink for me White Heather! :drinks:

Section 4.56:

"At 4.5mppa the airport have committed in the legal agreement to submitting a planning application and TA
for Phase 2 of the terminal building improvements to facilitate an abnnual passenger throughput in excess of 5mppa."

From certain angles this could possibly be perceived as a pseudo passenger cap on Phase 1 of the development.

and...

Just looked it up myself, and yes, 4.5 m pax is the trigger for Phase 2, as posted by Empire. In the current climate, I reckon that could be about 5 years away yet unless Mr O Leary decides to come and stay with some of his Ryanair fleet.

I agree Empire - once the 'new' terminal reaches capacity, expect a battle royal over Phase 2. If we think this was a tough fight, the next one will be much worse, particularly if, by then, there remains no sign of the tram train link and a major link road to the airport from the Leeds Ring Road. Effectively, by turning down Phase 2, LCC will restrict further growth. Rightly or wrongly, Aviation CO2 will probably be even more under scrutiny by then. I only hope that somewhere within the newly expanded terminal, they are allowing a bit of rattle room to expand into if required, without the need to seek planning consent, because I think they may well need it when the time comes.

As far as I am aware, part of phase 2 will see the removal of check-in hall B when the check-in will move into the ground floor phase 1 area. At the moment ckeck-in hall B is being used under an extension to the original planning application. If this is the case then the council wont have an option to refuse the phase 2 application unless they extend the B-hall tent application indefinately.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

fantastic news, even if passed with considerations yet to be advised.

As stated before I cannot abide local government so the 4-3 vote proper annoyes me.

One can only assume that the 3 who voted against are wannabe Torvile and Dean and Robin Cousins.....as the ice rink application seems to have steamed ahead with scant regard for the traffic that will cause/generate; or the high environmental damage freezing water over the lifetime of the building will cause.

As was highlighted in some of the most random objections to the April application; clearly the sound of light aircraft over the leafy North Leeds is more of an environmental issue than trapsing off to B&Q and a strip mall, or the Ice Rink/Arena in a 4x4... blummin muppets!

:clapping:

I couldn't have put it better!

 

[lbaspotter]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Hi

Has anyone else read the respone from Jet2.com's manger Phillip Messon regarding the expansion plans for LBA that were given the go-ahead yesterday by the Leeds councillors.

Is not good reading and not for the faint hearted. And on a personnal note I would have thought better of him and his airline.

Anyway read it first and lets see your replys on the subject. source http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... owth_plan/

'Wrong time for expansion' at Leeds-Bradford
5:13pm Friday 24th July 2009

By Chris Holland »

The boss of the largest airline operating from Leeds-Bradford International Airport has criticised the £28 million expansion plans given the go-ahead this week by Leeds councillors.

Philip Meeson, chief executive of Jet2.com, accused LBIA’s owners Bridgepoint of planning the terminal extension mainly to boost shopping facilities in order to recoup the £140 million it paid for the airport.

Mr Meeson does not believe the extension should go ahead now as it could push up costs for his company and other tenants.

He said: “Bridgepoint bought the airport at the top of the market. They spent £140 million to buy it and so will be looking for ways to get that money back.

“The reason LBIA wants to extend the terminal is to create better shopping facilities as a cash generator.

“All airports are seeing a reduction in passenger numbers and I would question whether we need this extension now.

“The ring road is already crowded and there are not enough bus services to and from the airport. We need to have many more buses from all over the place and car parking charges should be kept down.”

Mr Meeson also criticised airport chiefs for a lack of communication over the plans.

Mr Meeson said he “did not recall” being consulted over the plans and that LBIA had been “pressurising” tenants about potential higher charges which, if imposed, could affect Jet2.com’s cut price fares.

Airport chiefs say the two-storey extension of the terminal building will boost passenger numbers and create 2,000 jobs.

The plan is to create a new check-in area and security facilities as well as a new departure lounge and shops on the first floor.

Tony Hallwood, LBIA’s commercial and aviation director, said he was surprised by Mr Meeson’s comments and said that airlines were among those who had been canvassed.

He said: “The expansion is designed to ensure LBIA can compete and become the best regional airport in the UK and boost the local economy.”

The green light for LBIA’s expansion was welcomed by Harold Robinson, who took over as president of Bradford’s chamber of commerce this week.

He said: “We couldn’t believe it when Leeds planners deferred their decision and very much welcome the fact that they have now approved the plans. A major conurbation such as Leeds and Bradford needs a proper airport.”

Mr Robinson said the airport should focus on restoring services to London Heathrow.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I couldn't possibly comment on Mr Meeson's comments in the article but only 18 months ago he was on BBC Look North saying that he wanted to increase Jet2 passengers at LBA to around 3 million per year. Without any sort of expansion of terminal facilities at the airport how could he possibly expand his airline to achieve such passenger numbers in the future. For the summer at least, Jet2 is, or appears to be performing very well through these turbulent times. The winter doesn't look so good with a very reduced program so not to loose too much money. Next summer onwards should see an improvement in the industry and an expansion of services may once again become possible. By that time the terminal will be desperately in needs of improving so I don't think the airport have much of an option.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

I don't know much about Phil Meeson but could he be taking a leaf out of Ryanair's book by publicly laying his position on the line, ie he doesn't want or expect to have to pay increased charges so that Bridgepoint can get some of their money back?

Without expanding passenger numbers additional shops won't be an enticing prospect for traders; without a strong Jet2 presence passenger numbers may not increase at the rate that Bridgepoint deems desirable.

From my distant viewpoint it seems that LBA and Jet2 need each other and neither can afford to fall out. The partnership has paid off handsomely thus far for both parties. Would Mr M really want to spoil that?
And would the airport?

Probably no more than posturing or marking lines in sand at this time.

 

[wawkrk]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Reading the letters in the T&A. My god there are some real numpties in Bradford.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Infrastructure Developments

Well as far as I am concerned it's what the passengers want and demand. One of the first things you hear passengers say when they walk into the building is where's the shops? Passengers describe the airport as a 'dump' at the moment and it has been in need of major investment for years. I can understand Mr Meeson's concerns over increased charges and LBA will have to work hard to ensure that the money can be recuperated from charges else where. It's catch 22 for the airport, if they don't do the work it will slowly start to loose passengers anyway as people become despondent with the cramped and "dirty" conditions. On the otherhand If they do and they put up airline fees, could we loose services?