Councillors in Solihull, where the airport is based, have approved an application made by the airport to raise the cap on the number of flights that can take off from or arrive at the airport between 11pm and 6am.
This means the number of night flights at the airport will increase from 5 per cent to 7.3 per cent per year.
The current arrangement based on five per cent of the airport’s total air traffic movements allowed for no more than 4,000 flights at night a year.
However, Birmingham Airport says its forecasts are for 7,227 flights in this financial year (7.6 per cent), 7,528 flights between 2025/26 (7.3 per cent) and 7,600 flights in 2026/27 (7 per cent).
The airport argued that increased night flying is necessary to continue its growth and deliver benefits to the region’s economy, however, the plans received backlash from several of Solihull’s local parish councils.
A total of 234 objections were submitted against the plans and a public saw a 642-strong petition against the plans.
Some Warwickshire councillors also expressed anger at not being consulted over the plans.
Objections to the proposed changes included concerns such as the impact on the quality of life of local residents, the physical and mental health impacts on local residents and environmental impacts.
Barston parish Councillor, Jeremy Emmett, asked for the application to be rejected, or “at the very least” differed, raising concerns about the health impacts of night noise and sleep deprivation.
He said: “The roar of aircraft disrupted this [tranquillity] every hour.”
Cllr Emmett added: “Peaceful nights are already a distant memory.”
David Sandells, a Hampton-in-Arden Parish Councillor, argued that the proposed changes “do not represent sustainable development” and said the current plan already “generously priorities economy over environment”.
The public gallery has to be reminded numerous times not to “cheer” for the speakers who opposed Birmingham Airport’s plan.
Nikki Baines, Birmingham Airport’s Head of Planning Transport and Strategy, said the impacts on the local residents was a “key concern” and that the airport employed independent noise consultants to assess the impact.
She said: “The assessment demonstrates the overall levels of night noise will decrease over the life of the policy.”
She also warned if the changes were not approved, economic benefits to Solihull and the West Midlands would be “impaired”.
The application was heard at Solihull Council’s latest planning committee meeting on Wednesday, January 8, and was approved.
In the vote, seven members voted in favour of the plans and two against.