Archive for March, 2010

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Airport cleared for £30m runway plan

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Government gives green light to big expansion

FAR-REACHING plans to expand Southend Airport can now take off after the Government gave them the green light.

Airport bosses plan to stat work on extending the runway in the summer after John Denham, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, gave final approval.

It is hoped the £30 million expansion will allow the airport to cater for an expected 2 million passengers a year by 2020. Politicians and business groups believe the revitalised airport will bring a much-needed boost for the town’s economy in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games. [They are living in cloud cuckoo land.]

Airport owners the Stobart Group, whose plans have the backing of Southend and Rochford district councils, will now extend the runway by 300m to the south west, diverting [closing] Eastwoodbury Lane to make way for the runway and safety zone.

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Throwing money at the airport

Friday, March 19th, 2010

BEFORE throwing money at things like airport expansion and all the “improvements” associated with it, Soutehnd Council should think about sorting problems that apply to everyone on a daily basis.

The appalling state of the roads after the winter ice comes to mind.

I’ve asked that yellow lines be extended to prevent potentially dangerous parking at one T-junction only to be told “finances don’t allow,” at least until an accident actually happens.

Yet funds are available to widen the road by Priory Park, even though it will have no impact on the traffic problems which emanate from the roundabout.

J COOK
Grovewood Avenue
Eastwood

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Southend Council has always been short-sighted

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

WHAT progress has the short-sighted council established?

In the 70s and 80s, they turned down Sir Freddie Laker’s offer to give the airport a longer runway but chose to supply and plant-out flowerbeds instead. Now they approve the unwanted airport expansion, again disregarding what the public want.

Short-sightedness again led them into wasting thousands of pounds on the unnecessary widening of the railway bridge before finding out that the public did not approve of the council’s foolish idea to make a virtual dual carriageway out of Priory Crescent which had a double S-bend just beyond the railway bridge.

This did not prevent further short-sighted actions as two families were forced to leave their homes which were required to be demolished.

At great costs the demolition had to be postponed because protected animals became residents.

Further unnecessary costs occurred when numerous trees were purchased and planted 50ft inside the park’s northern boundary.

Trees destined for destruction when the width of Priory Crescent was to be increased.

What were the eventual costs of consultation fees, administration costs, bridge widening, purchasing and planting of many trees and landscaping?

This council has dogmatically tried forcing through its ideas for Priory Crescent since the 80s.

This is somewhat reminiscent of their overwhelming enthusiasm to push through the airport’s unwanted extension, its runway as it could have been completed 20 to 30 years ago at no cost to the ratepayers!

As soon as a newsworthy topic appears, pro-council MPs arrive and have their opinions published. I suppose seeking recognition and vote hugging.

But we have to demonstrate our views or opinions to be even heard. Our views aren’t newsworthy then.

B J Cole
Gayton Road, Southend

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Stobart Group sells assets to secure future of airport

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

HAULAGE firm the Stobart Group has secured £61million through the sale of two assets – safeguarding the future development of Southend Airport.

The airport owner disposed of part of a new 528,000sq ft state-of-the-art distribution centre, in Widnes, Merseyside, to Legal & General Assurance Limited.

The company has also sold part of its Inland Port, also in Widnes, with the overall sale being £62.5m on the satisfaction of further conditions.

Stobart confirmed funds made would be spent on future developments – including the capital expenditure programme at Southend Airport.

Andrew Tinkler, chief executive of Stobart Gruop, said: “This asset disposal illustrates a fundamental strategy of our group which is to invest in assets in order to develop existing and new customer relationships and then realise the value of the asset, at a profit, to reinvest elsewhere in the business.

“The proceeds from this asset sale, will allow flexibility in securing the optimum debt structure for future asset developments, including the expansion programme at Southend Airport.”

The majority of the £61m will be used to repay existing borrowings with RBS and Barclays, significantly reducing the core debt in the balance sheet of the company to around £45m.

Alastair Welch, managing director of Southend Airport, said: “This is consistent with our policy of disposing of assets to allow us to develop new assets within the business.

“The development of Southend Airport is a good example of a new and exciting strand to our business.”

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Airport jobs are only a forecast

Friday, March 5th, 2010

I’m getting very bored with our local councillors regurgitating the airport propaganda message instead of the views of the majority of their constituents as expressed through the consultation process.

They keep banging on about the jobs and regeneration prospects associated with the airport, conveniently forgetting to mention these figures are merely forecasts based on factory or office space, not actual jobs offered by actual employers.

There is no shortage of vacant office and factory space around the town.

If space equalled jobs we’d have no employment problems at all in this area.

We don’t need to build over more land. We need to renovate the eyesores we already have, the empty office blocks opposite the Civic Centre being a case in point.

The council approved the airport plan without addressing seriously the issues of the local transport infrastructure.

Messing about with the lights at Progress Road isn’t going to do much to help alleviate the current traffic volume, let alone a large increase.

The Stobart Group core business is road freight and that’s what we’ll be getting a lot more of if this goes through.

The carrot of a quick trip to a local airport for the annual holiday flight isn’t much compared to the daily stick of gridlocked roads.

Hopefully the Secretary of state will see what an ill-prepared shambles this plan is and throw it out.

K CUTTS
Manchester Drive, Leigh

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Our views must be heard on airport plan

Monday, March 1st, 2010

EVER since short-sighted Southend Council sanctioned the airport’s expansion we’ve had numerous articles from councillors, MPs and businessmen bleating on about Communities Secretary John Denham intervening in council plans for their airport.

They don’t want Mr Denham delaying the expansion, they’re so keen to get started now.

They can’t wait to drive families out of their homes so that a rather short strip of concrete replaces where these people once lived. They can’t wait to change all of our lives for the worse with increased noise, fumes and intrusion of aircraft.

Their privacy will not be invaded or their investment in peace destroyed by this dormant beast.

Ironically, this is the same council which turned down Sir Freddie Laker’s offer to give the airport a longer runway. The council chose instead to provide and install many flower beds. Fortunately there were no trees needing to be destroyed at the airfield.

The public are in no hurry to expand the airport. Let us ensure Mr Denham knows our views.

Let him study the JAAP report with its shortcomings and therefore decide to conduct a public inquiry.

This must happen because the council chose to agree on the airport expansion programme without waiting for the publication of the report that contains our views.

I worked at the airport in its prime and the council then wasn’t interested enough to expand it. Why is it so keen now?

B J COLE
Gayton Road, Southend

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