Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport

The Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) is a grassroots campaign organisation based in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. It was formed by concerned citizens from a range of backgrounds and across the political spectrum who came together to oppose the proposed expansion of Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA). GALBA is not a commercial business in the conventional sense; it is a civil society group that operates as a campaign brand, using its website, petitions, briefings and legal challenges to advance its cause. Its central message is that LBA is 'big enough already' and that expansion would bring more planes, more noise and more climate chaos. The group's primary objective is to prevent LBA from growing its annual passenger numbers from around four million to seven million. GALBA states explicitly that it is not trying to close the airport down, but rather to halt what it calls unnecessary aviation expansion in the face of the worsening climate crisis. Its campaigns focus on planning objections, night-flight monitoring, health impacts of noise and air pollution, and the climate impact of airport expansion. GALBA came to prominence in 2020 when LBA submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council for a new terminal building alongside measures that would have increased daytime flying hours and removed the cap on night flights. The group campaigned against the application, which was approved by the Council in February 2022. GALBA then successfully pushed for the decision to be reconsidered by a public inquiry, collecting more than 56,000 signatures on a petition and raising funds for the legal process. The group has also monitored night-time flying, complained about rule breaches, and launched a judicial review challenge against the UK government's Jet Zero Strategy. As a campaign organisation, GALBA does not sell products or services. Its 'offerings' are its campaigns, briefings, petitions, legal actions and community organising. It is funded by donations and run by volunteers. Its website provides resources on how to object to planning applications, explains the health and climate impacts of aviation expansion, and invites supporters to join, donate and take action. GALBA describes itself as 'ordinary people challenging big business and government'.

The Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) emerged as a response to Leeds Bradford Airport's (LBA) expansion plans. According to GALBA's own account, LBA has been trying to expand since 2020, when it submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council. GALBA has been working to prevent that expansion ever since. In January 2020, LBA presented its plans as a 'green' new terminal building. However, GALBA argues that the application also laid the groundwork for increasing passenger numbers from four million a year to seven million. To make that increase possible, LBA asked for permission to extend daytime flying hours, starting at 6am and finishing at 11.30pm, and to remove the cap on night flight numbers, which applies to flights between 11pm and 7am and is set at 4,000 per year. In February 2022, despite a huge number of objections and high-profile resistance, Leeds City Council approved LBA's 2020 planning application. GALBA then launched a campaign to insist that the Council's decision be reconsidered by a public inquiry, at which the full climate, noise and pollution impact of expansion would have to be considered. The group collected more than 56,000 signatures on a petition and raised more than £4... (the exact amount is not fully stated in the source). GALBA has also monitored night-time flying. It found that during summer 2022, there were 747 more flights than allowed by the rules. GALBA complained to the Council, which issued a 'planning enforcement notice' against LBA. GALBA continued to monitor night-time flying in 2023 and found that LBA had broken the rules again. It has complained to the Council and is awaiting a decision. In July 2022, the UK government published its Jet Zero Strategy, which GALBA says allows a huge expansion of flying and airports across the country, leading to a massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions, noise and air pollution. GALBA is taking a judicial review challenge against Jet Zero in the High Court. GALBA describes itself as a group of concerned citizens in West Yorkshire, from a range of backgrounds and across the political spectrum. It is not trying to close down the airport but is determined to halt unnecessary aviation expansion. Its campaigns focus on planning objections, night flights, health impacts of noise and air pollution, and the climate impact of LBA expansion. It is funded by donations and run by volunteers.

• LBA submits planning application to Leeds City Council for new terminal and expansion.

• Leeds City Council approves LBA's 2020 planning application.

• GALBA collects more than 56,000 signatures on petition for public inquiry.

• UK government publishes Jet Zero Strategy; GALBA launches judicial review challenge.

• GALBA finds LBA exceeded night flight limit by 747 flights in summer 2022; Council issues planning enforcement notice.

• GALBA monitors night flights in 2023 and finds further rule breaches; complains to Council.

Grassroots citizens' campaign group opposing Leeds Bradford Airport expansion; not a commercial business.

1. 1Home - Galbagalba.uk
2. 2Our Story So Far... - Galbagalba.uk
3. 3About - Galbagalba.uk
4. 4FAQs - Galbagalba.uk
5. 5Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport - Wikidatawikidata.org