Archive for March 31st, 2010

Leigh-on-Sea dream is over

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

NOW that the airport expansion has been allowed by the mainly Conservative council, led by a certain Councillor Nigel Holdcroft, do the residents of Leigh-on-Sea realise that in a short time their ‘quiet’ lives will never be the same again?

The reality is there are going to be low level jets ‘screaming’ over our heads after taking off from Southend airport every 15 minutes of every day and commencing from 6.30am up to 11pm at night.

Leigh-on-Sea is immediately under the flight path.

You will no longer be able to sit in your back gardens in the summer in peace and quiet and forget keeping your windows open as the noise and fumes will be wafting through from the jets mainly carrying freight for the Stobart group or cheap flight passengers to Spain etc. It is hoped there will be two million of them.

The roads will be clogged up with all this lot travelling to and from the airport in their cars and no plan has been thought of how to cope with that.

The plans have been rushed through by all concerned so that certain members of the Stobart group can get their bonuses for completing on time and supposedly in the name of creating a few jobs for the area – and damn the thousands of elderly and mainly retired residents who came to Leigh for peace and quiet!

Enjoy this summer in Leigh – it will be your last before things really take off.

I was at one of the local meetings – it was a done deal and the residents had no chance.

Leigh-on-Sea will probably be renamed ‘Stobarts-on-Air’. Oh and by the way, the council might give you some compensation in a year or two for your property being devalued (that’s if anyone will want to buy it) and offer sound protection.

Building this airport extension in this heavily built-up area is complete madness and beyond logic.

So than you for nothing Mr Alistair Welch (airport manager), Stobarts and the Conservative councillors – I am sure that as we batten down the hatches soon we will have the knowledge that the jet flying over head has somehow helped the British Economy and brought regeneration to a few of the jobless of Southend, courtesy of a few elected councillors.

If you are unhappy, you must complain about this to Southend Council in the first instance and then John Denham MP – both main instigators of the people destroying the Leigh-on-Sea way of tranquil life.

Mr T Knightley
Address supplied

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Huge loan to help finance plan for Southend Airport

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

MORE than £19million has been loaned to the Stobart Group towards improving Southend Airport.

The Bank of London and the Middle East announced it would provide the funds to the airport owners, just days after the Secretary of State agreed runway extension plans.

The 300m runway extension is part of the £35million development of the airport, which was bought by Stobart in December 2008.

The Islamic bank’s loan will fund the diversion of Eastwoodbury Crescent [Lane] and the building of a new £12million rail station.

Ben Whawell, CFO of Stobart Group, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Bank of London and the Middle East for the further development of Southend Airport, enhancing its position in the Eastern Gateway to London.

“We are impressed by the bank’s flexibility and client-centred attitude.

“We look forward to seeing the completion of this exciting project that in addition to serving the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, will have a long-term beneficial impact on local communities.”

The bank said its funding would help develop the airport as a distribution gateway as well as open up new European routes to increase passenger numbers from 42,000 [in 2008 - around 3,500 in 2009] to two million by 2020.

Humphrey Percy, the bank’s chief executive, said relations with the haulage firm started last year.

He added: “Eddie Stobart is an iconic, well-established UK brand with a strong track record, and represents an ideal candidate for our corporate banking services, both now and in the future.

“The core objectives of Stobart group correspond with the principles of the bank – transparency, partnership[, environmental destruction] and service.

“Stobart is growing and expanding, and the bank is looking for innovative market leaders such as the Stobart Group to develop with.”

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