Birmingham Airport has been granted permission for more night time flights despite widespread opposition from locals.

BHX bosses argued extra night flights are necessary if the airport is to grow and the local economy is not to miss out on millions in economic benefits.

The current arrangement allowed for no more than 4,000 flights at night a year.

This is based on an annual restriction of five per cent of the total air traffic movements – the taking off or landing of an aircraft from the airport – to take place at night.

Night time hours are defined as 11.30pm to 6am and the five per cent is calculated from the busiest financial year for flights of the past five years.

But BHX 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 applied to change its section 106 agreement with the Solihull council so the cap on night time movements is raised to an average of 7.3 per cent a year, with an indicative cap of 7.6 per cent.

A public consultation saw a 642-strong petition against the plan, a backlash from many of Solihull's parish councils and 243 objections.

The application was heard at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council's latest planning committee meeting on Wednesday, (January 8).

A noisy public gallery applauded speakers against the plans and chanted against those speaking in favour leading to the meeting being halted at one point to eject people.

Barston Parish councillor Jeremy Emmett said: "We respectfully request you reject this application or at the very least defer it.

"The health effects of night noise and sleep deprivation are well documented.

"The roar of aircraft disrupted this (tranquillity) every hour.

"Peaceful nights are already a distant memory."

David Sandells, a Hampton-in-Arden parish councillor, said: "The World Health Organisation defines eight hours as a typical night time sleep period.

"The existing night time flight policy already reduces this to six-and-a-half, this is already generous to the airport."

But Nikki Baines, BHX's head of planning transport and strategy, said: "We instructed independent noise consultants to assess the impact.

"The assessment demonstrates the overall levels of night noise will decrease."

She also warned, if the changes were not approved, economic benefits would be "impaired" due to airlines reducing destinations and even relocating aircraft from Birmingham Airport.

During the councillors' debate Bob Grinsell, the chairman of the committee, said: "I don't like percentages I like numbers.

"This is particularly technical.

"If you are a resident that happens to live under the flight path, they want to know how many more aircraft are going to fly over their house."

Mark Andrews, a planning officer, said he understood the concerns using percentages but the authority had already accepted the principle of using that in the previous policy.

"There is a risk of being unreasonable from a planning perspective," he added.

Councillor Mark Wilson said: "In 2019 this council declared a climate emergency.

"This application is not compatible with that."

He highlighted that electric aircraft, mentioned as a way of decreasing noise, was in its infancy.

"That won't impact the next three years – it probably won't impact the next 23 years," he added.

And Councillor Dave Pinwell said: "This is quite a dilemma. There is angst on night flights.

"Residents in general appreciate living close to our successful airport and want to be able to get to even more destinations and are more than happy taking flights at night."

Prior to the vote the chairman suggested adding an informative encouraging the airport to make their "best endeavours" for targets to be reduced where possible, a move agreed by members.

In the vote seven members voted in favour with two against.