Southend Airport News

Some news stories about the airport:

There are often stories on UK Airport News. There is also news from the local campaign group, SAEN on their website at http://www.saen.org.uk/category/media/

Southend residents urged to respond to the JAAP consultation that encourages expansion of the airport

April 4, 2013 Southend and Rochford Councils are currently conducting a JAAP (Joint Area Action Plan) public consultation on Southend airport and its environs. The consultation has now been extended to 26th April. The JAAP refers to a range of policies that support further expansion at the airport. It is important that local people living in the vicinity of the airport respond, as they will be affected by proposed changes. The JAAP, once adopted, will form part of the Development Plan for Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea Borough. The council documents and process are not very clear, so local group SAEN (Stop Airport Expansion and Noise) are advising residents how to respond. Some of the issues in the JAAP are that Southend Airport is surrounded on all sides by large numbers of houses, and local councils have done nothing to limit or reduce the number of people who suffer from aircraft noise. Safety issues associated with the public safety zones have also been identified. The claim that expansion at the airport is creating jobs is also challenged. In the first year of operation it has become clear that the overwhelming majority of passengers are UK citizens who are travelling abroad, not foreign tourists attracted to the Southend area. The most popular destination offered by easyJet is Amsterdam, which is attracting entirely new passengers, sucking ever more money out of the Essex/London economy. The job creation claims are not credible and have been exposed as such. Click here to view full story…

EasyJet launches new route from Southend to Newquay

6.12.2012 easyJet has announced that it will be further expanding its route offering from Southend Airport with a new service to Newquay, from Summer 2013. The new 3 times weekly service which departs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays is expected to attract almost 10,000 passengers each year with the inaugural flight taking off from Southend Airport on 20 June 2013. It talks about this fast connection to the “English Riviera” and its great beaches, restaurants and attractions. Fares start from £30.99 per person (including taxes) based on two passengers flying on the same booking. “We are sure Newquay is going to prove popular with Essex travellers for both short breaks and longer staycations – not just for its surfing, but also for the simple and easy access it provides to the much admired Cornish coast. EasyJet has also announced new services to Krakow and Berlin launching June,2013 bringing the number of routes served from London Southend Airport to 14. Click here to view full article …..

London Southend Airport to begin terminal extension in November

October 29, 2012 Southend airport is set to begin a €12m terminal extension project in early November 2012. The process will be in three phases. The first phase will be construction of a new arrivals facility with completion scheduled by the end of May 2013. Completion of the project will see expansion of the terminal building to 90m long, a rise in number of check-in desks/baggage drop off points and adding space for passengers in security. The Departure Lounge will be expanded and there will be changes in Arrivals. The airport anticipates the final phase to be finished ahead of Christmas 2013. They hope the number of passengers will top 2 million by 2020. Click here to view full story…

Passengers up 60% at Southend Airport in May compared to April

21st June 2012 Southend Airport is continuing to rise. The latest statistics published by the CAA show 66,700 people flew via the airport during May. The figure is a marked increase on April’s total of 41,600 – the first month of easyJet flights. Meanwhile, passenger numbers for the same destinations from Stansted fell by more than 40,800 in May (even more than in April – below). Alastair Welch, Southend Airport’s managing director, said their target remains to reach two million passengers a year by 2020. EasyJet began flights from Southend to Barcelona, Belfast and Amsterdam on April 2, alongside existing Aer Arann fights to Waterford, Ireland. Two days later, flights to Alicante and Faro were added, and routes to Malaga, Mallorca, Ibiza and Jersey followed at the end of the month. Aer Arann’s new flights to Dublin, which launched on May 10, attracted nearly 3,500 passengers. In comparison, the number of people using Stansted’s flights to the Irish capital fell by more than 5,500. Details …

Passengers choose Southend over rival

18.5.2012

Popular – easyJet has done well in its first month at Southend AIR passengers are choosing to fly to and from Southend’s revamped airport rather than Stansted, new figures suggest. Statistics published by the CAA show 41,600 people flew via the airport during the first month of easyJet flights. Passenger numbers for Stansted fell by more than 21,300 for the same destinations in April. Alastair Welch, Southend Airport’s managing director, welcomed the figures, saying they meant about 70% of seats had been filled. Because the Southend and Stansted operations are so different, direct comparisons are impossible, but the first month’s figures seem to suggest Southend has taken a large bite out of Stansted’s flights to the same destinations. Details …..

London Southend Airport terminal extension approved

April 23, 2012 Southend airport has been granted approval for the extension of its terminal building by Rochford Council. There will also be five more aircraft stands. Despite strong opposition, only one member of the public was permitted to speak against the application. Only two councillors voted against. Work on the extension will start later this year. The new terminal was opened in March, but the extension will add another 90 metes to it, more than doubling its size, with more check-in desks and baggage drop off points. more security screening channels, larger arrivals and departures lounges, more retail etc. It has emerged that Anglian Water were not informed of the application. SAEN understands that the water company is less than happy, as the new terminal as it stands was only just approved as it took the sewage system up to 100% capacity. The extension will exceed capacity. he airport is looking at 6 million passengers per year by 2020, rather than the 2 million previously anticipated. Click here to view full story…

EasyJet announce new route to Venice from Southend airport

20.4.2012 EasyJet has today announced that it will begin operating a new route from London Southend Airport to Venice – the first Italian route from the new airport. Venice will take the total number of destinations from the airline’s newest base to five European countries and two domestic routes. The first is on 8 February 2013. easyJet currently operate more than 70 flights a week from London Southend to nine destinations across Europe from Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast, Faro, Ibiza, Jersey, Majorca and Malaga. Geneva will commence from this autumn. link

London Gateway port development – to open in 2013 – a few miles west of Southend

April 20, 2012 Opening in the fourth quarter of 2013, London Gateway is set to become the premier UK logistics centre. When fully developed London Gateway port will handle 3.5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent container units) annually and the adjacent logistics park will be the largest in Europe. It is about 4 miles south of Basildon and about 7 miles west of Southend on Sea. DP World is a company based in Dubai. There is likely to be a connection between Stobart buying Southend airport, and the new mega-port close by. Click here to view full story…

EasyJet flights from Southend to 9 destinations start on 2nd April

March 26, 2012 EasyJet starts its flights from Southend on 2nd April. They say there will be 70 easyJet flights per week. They will start a ski flight to Geneva at the end of the year. The easyJet launch programme includes family destinations, city breaks and a few business routes. There will be 9 destinations, rising to 10 with the addition of Geneva. Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona Berlin, Faro, Ibiza, Jersey, Majorca and Malaga. Amsterdam is proving the most popular route to and from Southend. There will also be two routes to Ireland by Aer Lingus, to Waterford and to Dublin. EasyJet say Southend is their 11th UK base, bringing 3 new A319s and “over 150 employees” to the airport. They expect over 800,000 passengers in the first year. Click here to view full story…

Opening of Southend Airport’s new terminal and runway extension

March 5, 2012 On 5th March Southend held its official opening of its new terminal building, and of its runway extension that is now completed. Local opponents fought a long and hard battle against the runway extension. At present the airport has just one destination airport – Waterford in Ireland. On 2nd April, easyJet flights to bucket-and-spade Spanish destinations start (Malaga, Ibiza and Mallorca) taking tourists and their money out of the UK. There will be 20-30 passenger daily flights this year, but Stobart hopes to eventually carry up to 2 million passengers annually and plans to extend the terminal further this summer. easyJet came to Southend due to cheaper landing charges than at Stansted. Some passengers will find the empty terminal and the easy train journey from London’s Liverpool Street easier than a trip to Stansted or Luton. Alistair Welch, the CEO, says he expects there to be 500 jobs created at the airport this year. 500? Click here to view full story…

Planning applications at Southend Airport, including terminal extension and new carpark

Date added: March 1, 2012

There are currently three airport-related planning applications being considered relating to Southend Airport. A proposed extension to the brand new terminal is Phase 2, and would see the terminal building becoming 90 metres longer. The number of check in desks / baggage drop off points will increase, as will the amount of security screening channels. The Departure Lounge and the Arrivals area will be enlarged. Also an enhanced baggage reclaim facilities, a larger immigration area, and more retail and catering. There is also a speculative application by a local builder, to make money out of his land as a car park. And it has been noticed that Stansted staff are needing homes to rent, while being relocated to Southend. So much for more local jobs. Click here to view full story…

Southend Tory MPs line up to fight estuary airport proposals

January 20, 2012 Two MPs have publicly opposed plans for the estuary airport. Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris and James Duddridge MP for Rochford and Southend East, fear the plan would be detrimental to south Essex. Mrs Harris, who met with London mayor Boris Johnson before Christmas, said: “I will be opposing anything which would spoil the tranquillity of my constituency. Mr Duddridge added: “I do not think this airport is right, sensible, realistic or deliverable.” [However, the worrying feature is that some in Southend want to press for expansion instead at Manston, which would be deeply unacceptable to people there. This sort of passing the buck is not sensible, and does nobody any favours] . Click here to view full story…

Runway invasion at Southend airport by Plane Stupid and Climate Rush

29th October 2011 15 activists from Plane Stupid, and Climate Rush, entered Southend airport at 9am, got onto the runway, and stayed there for over an hour, before being arrested. They did a dance routine dressed as pilots and cabin crew, and planned to put up some solar panels. The protest was against the planned increase in flights from Southend in 2012, and the planned 300 metre runway extension. Protestors said the expansion will not create as many jobs as could be created by building renewable energy instead – saying “we need solar power, not plane power.” Click here to view full story…

London Southend Airport train station opens on line to London

22.9.2011 A new rail link between Southend Airport and London’s Liverpool Street station was officially opened by Theresa Villiers, the Transport Minister, on 21st September. This has been built to benefit from the 2012 Olympics. The station eliminates the former need to change at Rochford to access the airport by train. Trains will also stop at Stratford, the main Olympic site. The journey time to central London will be 53 minutes, around 8 minutes longer than the journey to London from Stansted Airport. The time from Southend to Stratford is 44 minutes.
The airport says it is “aiming to give passengers with hand luggage a ‘plane-to-train’ time of just 15 minutes, with a maximum 4-minute wait at security checkpoints in the other direction.” Also that this will give a faster ‘train to plane’ time than any other London Airport once the new £10 million terminal, opposite the station, is opened. The terminal is due to be completed in October. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southend_Airport_railway_station

From April 2012 there will be 70 new easyJet flights per week to and from European destinations.
Southend airport also confirmed in September that a new German carrier, Jetisfaction, will soon offer regular services to and from Germany. http://www.jetisfaction.com/en/scheduled-flights/flight-booking/ It seems to just have occasional flights from Southend to Munster, starting from November.

WORK on Southend Airport’s new passenger terminal is nearing completion.

2.8.2011 (Southend Echo) The £10 million building will be completed in October and is taking shape opposite the new railway station. Airport bosses say the terminal has been designed to give customers the shortest possible journey from check-in to plane to ease their experience. Jonathan Rayner said it will take less than 15 minutes for people getting off the plane to be at the station platform.

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9170934.New_terminal_at_Southend_Airport_nearing_completion/

Court of Appeal refuses Southend campaigners application for JR on Southend Runway extension

27th July 2011 An appeal by SAEN in the Court of Appeal against the decision to refuse a Judicial Review of Southend Council’s grant of permission for a runway extension has failed. However, SAEN says it is not the end of the story. Their legal team are exploring other options and there are further decisions to be made by the Sec of State before the Airport can start building – including a decision on the stopping up of Eastwoodbury Lane which is not due till September. Click here to view full story…

Southend Air Traffic Control Tower and Station opened

19th July 2011 Minister for the Thames Gateway, Bob Neill MP, opened the first of the airport’s completed new development projects – a state-of-the-art air traffic control tower, which has actually been operational since March. Southend airport is also working on various developments, including a new dedicated train station – now open, with services to Stratford - new terminal building, runway extension and a new hotel. They want this to make money from the Olympics Click here to view full story…

SAEN letter to Daily Mail about proposed easyJet flights from Southend

11th July 2011 EasyJet’s recent announcement was a political move by both parties. Stobart want to pressure the Government into bringing in the result of the Public Inquiry to approve the closure of Eastwoodbury Lane, which runs across the current end of the runway. While EasyJet want to lean on Stansted and Luton to lower their landing charges. The extension to the runway is by no means a done deal, with vital decisions not being made until October or later. (SAEN) Click here to view full story…

Tree pruning around Southend Airport leads to fears about low flights

22nd July 2011 The pruning of trees in the flightpath of Southend Airport has caused concerns about low-flying aircraft. Trees in the council-owned Millennium Park have been cut back. Airport bosses said because the trees could obstruct planes, it is a legal requirement for the work to be done by the council. Councillors and residents fear it suggests planes will fly low over densely-populated areas. Just how low are these planes planning to fly over homes? http://www.airportwatch.org.uk/?p=3588

EasyJet to start flying from Southend airport

16th June 2011 It hopes to begin operating from Southend airport and will carry around 800,000 passengers in the first 12 months from its new base. It hopes to start flights at Southend from April 2012, where a multimillion pound terminal will open this autumn. Under a 10-year partnership with Stobart Group, easyJet will operate 70 flights a week to a number of European destinations including Barcelona, Ibiza and Faro. Around 150 easyJet staff will work at the airport. (Guardian) Click here to view full story…

Proposed new easyJet flights from Southend show just how few new jobs low cost airlines produce

16th June 2011 The news that Easyjet will be operating 70 flights per week from Southend Airport within the next year is a bitter blow that will fill residents with dread. But this announcement undermines the entire case for expansion at Southend Airport. EasyJet has confirmed that the 800,000 passengers it intends to carry will result in the creation of JUST 150 new jobs. LSA previously claimed that 2 million passengers would result in the creation of 1,130 jobs. (SAEN) Click here to view full story…

Southend: A fresh bid to halt the runway, by a man from Cumbria

18th May 2011 Southend Airport is facing yet another challenge to its runway extension plans – through the European courts. Former aviation consultant Peter Elliott wants to overturn Southend Council’s decision to allow the runway extension, made in January last year and approved last April. Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal refused to allow Mr Elliot to even apply for a judicial review. But now he will file applications with the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. Click here to view full story…

London 2012 Olympics – Temporary Controlled Airspace Consultation

30th March 2011 A consultation from NATS and Stobart Air has started, and lasts till 26th May 2011, on temporary airspace changes during the main Olympics, from 16th July to 15th Aug 2012. NATS expects many more planes, and many are likely to be private jets, bringing in dignitaries etc. However, the consultation rules out environmental stakeholders, as it says the changes are temporary so they need to have their views taken into account. Click here to view full story…

Aer Arann starts Southend flights to Waterford and Galway

29th March 2011 Aer Arann now offers direct daily flights from Southend to Waterford and four-times weekly to Galway. On the three days a week without a direct service, passengers for Galway will be able to fly via Waterford. Southend airport is currently undergoing development which will see an extended runway, a new rail link with central London and a new terminal open by 2012. Southend hopes for some more routes eventually. Click here to view full story…

Transport Minister orders Public Inquiry of Southend Airport runway extension road closure

25th February 2011 Philip Hammond has called a Public Inquiry into the Stopping Up (closure) of Eastwoodbury Lane. SAEN learned the news in a letter from the National Transport Casework Team. The Minister’s decision was taken in the light of objections to the Stopping Up order from members of the public, including members of SAEN. The closure of the road essential to the airport’s plan to extend its runway. The economic, environmental and social costs of the road closure outweigh any benefit. Click here to view full story…

Southend Judicial Review applicant wins right to oral hearing

9.2.2011 Southend campaigners have learned that a renewal of claim for permission to apply for JR has been filed with the High Court. This means that a 20-minute hearing in front of a High Court judge will take place later this year, perhaps within 2 months. All grounds for refusal are being challenged by the lawyers pursuing the case. This means the initial refusal is effectively meaningless, and the decision will be taken by the judge presiding over the Oral Hearing. Click here to view full story…

High Court initial refusal of legal challenge to Southend Airport plan

3rd February 2011 The High Court has refused permission for the Judicial Review being pursued by a member of the local group, Stop Southend Extension Now (SAEN) against the Southend Council decision to allow a runway extension. The situation is not as straight-forward as this makes it sound and the media and airport supporters are under the impression that it’s all over for opponents. The applicants’ next stage would be to apply for an Oral Hearing in the next week. Click here to view full story…

Flights from Southend to Ireland to start in March

1.2.2011 Aer Arann has confirmed regular passenger services will fly, twice a day, between Southend and Waterford, in the south-east of the Republic, and Galway, on the west coast. Tickets went on sale yesterday. Stobart last autumn agreed a 5-year deal with Aer Arann to operate flights for up to 300,000 people a year from Southend. Southend currently only has scheduled Flybe passenger flights to the Channel Islands part of the year. Click here to view full story …

Southend Airport boss, Alastair Welch, says Court challenges will not stop expansion

21st January 2011 Alastiar Welch gave South Essex Area Forum an update about how work on the airport’s new terminal building, hotel, railway station and control tower is going. He says this is forging ahead despite two applications for judicial review of the Southend decision to allow the runway extension. The airport has also started building a new link road, which will run be between Eastwoodbury Lane and Nestuda Way, and will allow for the runway to be extended by 300m. Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport announce 5-year deal with bankrupt Aer Arann

13th October 2010 Southend Airport says they have hopes for a new deal secured with a low cost airline. The 5 year contract with Aer Arann will create a number of routes between Southend and Ireland. The details of the routes were being finalised but an announcement would be made shortly. The airline hopes it will carry 300,000 passengers starting in March. Aer Aran entered bankruptcy protection in August after suffering losses of 18m euros since 2008. (BBC) Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport announce 5-year deal with bankrupt Aer Arann

13th October 2010

Southend Airport says they have hopes for a new deal secured with a low cost
airline. The 5 year contract with Aer Arann will create a number of routes between
Southend and Ireland. The details of the routes were being finalised but an announcement
would be made shortly. The airline hopes it will carry 300,000 passengers starting
in March. Aer Aran entered bankruptcy protection in August after suffering losses
of 18m euros since 2008. (BBC) Click here to view full story…

Southend gets award obtainig planning permission for a runway extension without a public enquiry

28th September 2010

Just that. Amazing. Not a joke. “This achievement was deemed by the judges to
have fundamental and long lasting effects on air transport in the region, which
would greatly enhance the airport’s business and result in increased services
for the community when it is completed in 2011.” Click here to view full story…

Southend Council taken to court over runway extension planning permission

28th July 2010

Southend group, Stop Airport Extension Now, is aware that an application for
permission to apply for a Judicial Review is being lodged with the High Court.
The claimant is a local resident SAEN member very concerned at the decision by
Southend Borough Council to grant planning permission for an extended runway and
has SAEN’s full support. There is particular concern over the potential impact
of night flights and the economic case has not been made. (SAEN) Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport expansion says it is ‘on target for 2012′

29th June 2010

At Southend airport, the new railway station, with trains to Liverpool Street,
is nearing completion. The new control tower is due to be operational by February.
Plans for a 129-bedroom hotel at the airport have been “unveiled”, and the airport
is hoping to cash in on Olympic traffic in 2012. Roadworks to divert Eastwoodbury
Lane to make way for the extended runway will begin in the autumn, and plans for
the new terminal building are starting. (Echo) Click here to view full story…

SAEN are asking Southend Council to support night flight ban

11th June 2010 There is a full council meeting of Southend Borough Council on Thursday 17th
June at which SAEN understand that a possible night flight ban may be discussed.
However, this would most likely be for a short period of the night – probably
3 hours. This does no-one any good as it will simply push flights into the remaining
part of the night when people will still want uninterrupted sleep. SAEN are encouraging
people in the area to write to councillors before 17th. Click here to view full story…

Eddie Stobart to take to the skies from Southend

7th April 2010

Stobart bought Southend airport 3 years ago in a £21m deal. Although it is currently
a hub for aircraft maintenance and private business jets, a partnership between
Stobart and a European airline could transform Southend. Stobart hopes to carry
2m passengers a year to and from North Africa and southern Europe in time for
the start of the Olympics in 2012. It is suggested planes with Stobart livery
might each be given a girl’s name, like the trucks. (FT) Click here to view full story…

Southend: The camp, the bling and a cat called Ginger

22nd March 2010

Plane Stupid reports. Last week, without any fanfare or proper consultation Southend
declared that they would be expanding their airport. For a flavour of what might
be in wait for the airport, here is the story of a cat, a king, and a camp called
Bling… For 3 weeks, to prevent trees being destroyed, Cuckoo Corner was occupied
24/7 holding off the chainsaws and building a small but sturdy activist centre.
Southend council has viciously taken 12 to court. Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport expansion gets go-ahead from Government

19th March 2010

The government has approved plans for a runway extension at Southend. John Denham
claimed the right to a final say on the extension earlier this year, and could
have called for a public inquiry on the decision made by Southend Council planners.
Opponents are concerned about a rise in passenger numbers to 2m a year and the
adverse environmental effect on the Southend area. The council, as usual, were
persuaded the airport would bring much needed jobs. (BBC) Click here to view full story…

Southend Council wins order to evict Camp Cuckoo protesters

18th March 2010

Up to 17 members of Saxon King In Priory Park and Parklife are camping out on
land by the roundabout, which the council is planning to clear to widen the road
and have called for more people to join them. Southend Council has been granted
an order to evict protesters from the camp. Many mature trees have already been
felled to make way for road expansion, part of which is to ease access to the
airport. Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport Joint Area Action Plan meeting postponed

28th Jan 2010 Echo. Meeting postponed from 3rd Feb, awaiting decision on call
in, by Secretary of State. Click here to view full story …..

Stobart plans Southend airport expansion

23rd January 2010

Stobart Group said it hoped the government would make a swift decision on its
plan to expand Southend airport after it received local council approval earlier
in the week. Stobart branched out into aviation in December 2008 by buying Southend
airport in a deal worth up to £21m. It envisages increasing the number of passengers
from 48,000 in 2008 to 2m in 2019. For this to happen, by extending the runway
to allow larger aircraft to take off and land. (FT) Click here to view full story…

Southend runway extension given go-ahead

22nd January 2010

Go-ahead has been given for a 300 metre runway extension at Southend. The Development Control Committee voted 14 to 3 in favour..but planners must now refer proposals to the government before work can start. Secretary of State at DCLG, John Denham, has claimed the right to a final say on the extension and may call for a public
inquiry. Campaigners are concerned about a rise in passenger numbers to 2m a year,
and that expansion will have an adverse impact on the Southend area. (BBC) Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport plan: Government intervenes with Article 14 Direction

19th January 2010 The runway extension at Southend Airport will not now go ahead without the authorisation
of a Government minister. Communities Secretary, John Denham, has issued an Article
14 Direction about the application to extend the runway. The effect of the direction
is to prevent Southend Council granting planning permission without his authorisation.
It will still be considered at Development Control Committee on 20th. (Southend
Standard) Click here to view full story…

Southend council tax up almost 4% – with 2 million to be spend on roads near airport

5th January 2010

Families in Southend face another council tax rise of 3.95 % over the coming
year. The increase equates to 82p per week more for an average Band D property
or £43 a year – rising from £1,086 to £1,129. About £2m will be spent on improved
roads around the airport – which is planning a runway extension, connected to
the Olympics. (Echo) Click here to view full story…

The Southend Borough Council planning committee are due to sit to discuss the
runway extension application on the 20th January 2010

02.01.10 Leigh Council to object to Southend Airport expansion

16.10.09 Southend Airport expansion plans submitted

10.10.09 Southend Airport agree flights cap

Huge opposition to Southend airport expansion revealed

6th November 2009

Southend campaigners have succeeded in forcing Rochford District Council to release
figures on its consultation on expanding the airport. The council refused to release
figures, but following a FoI request by the local group, SAEN, the Information
Commissioner ruled that the Council must publish the result. It shows that 77%
had objections to the Joint Area Action Plan with 76 % specifically opposing the
runway extension. (SAEN) Click here to view full story…

Controversy Over Stobart’s Southend Airport Truck and Rail Freight Plans

23rd October 2009

Stobart’s plans for the redevelopment of Southend airport have come under fresh
criticism as new questions were raised by local residents on whether the company’s
proposed plans are actually their true intention. Some residents feel Stobart
has little interest in using Southend for flight operations, freight or otherwise,
but as a new hub for its multi modal business. The airport is cheap land on which
to build a road and rail depot. Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport expansion plans submitted

17th October 2009

Southend has submitted an application to Southend Council to extend the runway
from 1605 metres to 1905, which will allow larger planes to carry business and
leisure passengers to destinations all over Europe. If approved, the runway could
be operational in 2011, in time for the Olympics. As well as the runway, the application
is for a new terminal and diversion of Eastwoodbury Lane. It is expected to cost
in the region of £30-40 million. (UK Airport News) Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport agree flights cap

10.10.09 New controls on flights at Southend Airport have been agreed by
its owner and local councils. A new runway and transport links are being developed
at the airport by the Eddie Stobart transport group. Proposed night flights have
been cut from 900 to 120 a month after an agreement was reached between the company
and Southend and Rochford councils. Maximum yearly flights are to be capped at
53,000 and the definition of night-time for flights will be from 23:00 to 06:30.
Talks are reported to be under way with a number of airlines to launch new passenger
services when the airport becomes fully operational. (UK Airport News) Link to story

Southend Airport agreement is a scandal say Lib Dems

9th October 2009

THE new deal between Southend Airport and local councils on the number of night
flights and other operational details fails to answer many concerns, according
to an opposition councillor. New measures have been agreed with the ruling Conservatives on Southend and Rochford District councils, without consulting others. The deal contains some restrictions on the airport’s future operations, but they are not
stringent, and do not satisfy opponents. Click here to view full story…

Conservative MP calls for council to back Southend Airport

25th July 2009

James Duddridge MP [Conservative - for Rochford & Southend East] told the
Commons that councillors should back the expansion of Southend Airport rather
than worrying about political point-scoring. He was speaking in the adjournment
debate. He opposed the 3rd runway at Heathrow and also the proposals for an airport
in the Thames Estuary, known as Heathrow-on-Sea or Boris Island, but he fully
supports the expansion of Southend.(UK Airport News) Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport expansion plan could be in jeopardy

26th May 2009 Expansion plans for Southend Airport could be in jeopardy, as council bosses
are set to abandon its support for the scheme. There have been thousands of objections
to the Joint Area Action Plan consultation, which proposes a major expansion of
the airport, together with the runway extension across Eastwoodbury Lane. There
have been packed public meetings, and the councils now realise that it could be
political suicide to support expansion. (Echo) Click here to view full story…

Southend – Councils decide to support airport expansion scheme

17th February 2009 A combined report by Rochford and Southend councils says: &lquot;The preferred option
is to support the airport’s growth through an extension of the runway, together
with the development of a new railway station, terminal and aircraft handling
facilities. It is not considered desirable for the airport to handle significant
volumes of freight due to its location and the pressure on the local road network.
[Claims of jobs created should be treated with caution]. (Southend Echo)Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport Joint Area Action Plan – launch of consultation on preferred
options

16th February 2009 Southend Borough Council and Rochford District Council are in the process of
preparing a planning framework to guide development at London Southend Airport
and the neighbouring employment areas. The councils have published their ‘Preferred
Option’ for the development of the area which is now ready for a further consultation
period, which closes on 27th March. The final version of the JAAP will be submitted
to the Government during summer 2009. (Southend) Click here to view full story…

Southend Airport based charter company goes bust

05.12.08 Southend airport based aircraft charter company Flightline Limited
has called in administrators and ceased trading. The failure of the company has
resulted in the loss of more than 200 jobs. The company specialised in providing
whole aircraft charters. Administrators from KPMG were appointed yesterday and
the company’s Air Operating Certificate was suspended by the CAA. From UK Airport News

Stobart to buy Southend Airport for £21m

2.12.2008 “Stobart announces that it has conditionally agreed to acquire London
Southend Airport (‘Southend Airport’) from Regional Airports Limited (‘RAL’) for
a maximum consideration of £21.0 million, of which £5.0 million will be due on
achievement of certain aspects of the airport’s development (the ‘Acquisition’).
Stobart also announces an associated conditional placing of £11.5 million. The
initial consideration of £16.0 million will be satisfied from the placing proceeds
and a vendor loan note of £6.0 million. The Acquisition is conditional upon Admission
of the Consideration shares. ”

09.11.08 Transport firm Stobart has announced plans to buy Southend Airport for £21m, much less than the £55m suggested last month. The airport, which is less than an hour from London by train, is
to operate passenger flights across the UK and Europe alongside Stobart’s air
freight operations. Stobart chief executive Andrew Tinkler said the group had
conditionally agreed to buy Southend Airport from Regional Airports Limited (RAL)
for a maximum £21m. The group will implement plans for the site, including construction
of a new railway station, ‘as soon as possible’. From UK Airport News

Bigger airport means ‘more noise for Leigh’

23rd September 2008 More than 200 people attended a meeting organised by the local branch of Friends
of the Earth to draw up battle lines against the expansion, and to form a new
committee to fight it. The larger airport, which could mean the demolition of
some houses, is expected to cater for two million passengers a year, which equates
to 40 flights a day. While there are restrictions on night passenger flights,
there are none on night freight flights. (Echo)

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