THE pruning of trees in the flightpath of Southend Airport has caused concerns about low-flying aircraft.

Trees in the council-owned Millennium Park, next to the Cottage Nursery, Prince Avenue, Westcliff, 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 homes in Eastwood, Leigh and Westcliff.

However, airport bosses have said there is nothing to worry about. Ric Morgan, Lib Dem councillor for Prittlewell, said: “It does seem a little bit mysterious.

“If they’re trimming trees it does suggest the planes will be pretty low over the houses.”

An airport spokesman said all airports are legally required by the Civil Aviation Authority to address any “obstacles that infringe the safeguarded surfaces”.

He added: “These surfaces must be protected to maintain the safe operation of aircraft.

“We periodically review infringements and where trees have grown to become infringements, they are trimmed.”

A NEW £2million road around the outskirts of Southend Airport could be named after the church at the heart of the development turmoil.

Lib Dem councillor Ted Lewin and his Tory counterparts, Mark Flewitt and Adam Jones, want to christen the highway St Laurence Way, in honour of St Laurence and All Saints church, in Eastwoodbury Lane.

The church has been at the centre of the airport’s expansion plans, which include demolishing about 38m of its Victorian boundary wall to make way for an extended runway.

A BID to stop Southend’s Airport expansion appears to be over after the High Court challenge was quashed at the first hurdle.

Anti-expansion campaigner Laura Millard, 52, a member of campaign group Stop Airport Extension Now, wanted Southend Council’s decision to allow the runway extension to be reviewed and repealed.

However, following a two-day hearing, Judge Waksman used emphatic language to stop the case going any further. He said it was a “hopeless” argument to claim the council’s decision was “irrational”.

Ms Millard, from Leigh, who was concerned about extra noise and traffic, opted for an oral hearing after another High Court judge rejected her written application in February.

Yet Judge Waksman said: “On a careful analysis, there is simply nothing in any of the grounds alleged and, accordingly, no case for judicial review.” He also rejected an argument that Ms Millard’s human rights had been breached as “unarguable”.

LAST-DITCH calls for a night-time closure at Southend Airport have been rejected.

Plans for a new lease arrangement at the airport have cleared the first hurdle after they were approved by 39 votes to four at a heated Southend Council meeting.

Under the terms the council, which owns the land, is proposing to cut [the] night flights limit from 915 a month to 120, while placing strict controls on noise. [Since 2008 the maximum number of night flights in a month was 63 in May 2008. In December 2010, there were 7 night flights.]

However, Lib Dem councillors wanted to go a step further and enforce a complete airport closure between 11pm and 6.30am.

But many councillors were swung by the [bogus] economic argument put forward by aviation consultants and officers that a night closure would hit the trade of the airport’s maintenance firms, such as ATC Lasham.

Council leader Nigel Holdcroft (Con, West Leigh) said: “To operate a successful maintenance business, it’s essential to have access to planes around the clock. An airport closure is simply not workable.”

Ric Morgan (Lib Dem, Prittlewell) said: “An expanded passenger airport near a densely populated area is mid-20th century thinking.”

AN airport boss is forging ahead with plans to expand Southend Airport, despite a legal challenge by campaigners.

Alastair Welch, the airport’s managing director, gave an update to the South Essex Area Forum about how work on the airport’s new terminal building, hotel, railway station and control tower is going.

The airport has also started building a new link road, which will run between Eastwoodbury Lane and Nestuda Way, and will allow for the runway to be extended.

Southend Council faces two applications for a judicial review against its decision in January last year to approve the runway extension.

However, the council and airport have decided to push ahead with the new road even if a High Court judge blocks the extension plan.

Mr Welch said the airport was moving forward regardless of the challenge. He said: “Any major piece of infrastructure is going to have those in favour and those who aren’t. We do a lot of polling in the area and consistently more than 90 per cent say they are in favour of it.

“The only challenge with the judicial review process is you have to apply consent for a judicial review hearing. To apply, you have to demonstrate an argument. Meanwhile we are getting on with development.”

Southend Airport is carrying out a £35million investment program, which it hopes will generate 6,700 new jobs in the area.

A NEW link road near Southend Airport is to be built regardless of whether a legal challenge against the runway extension goes ahead.

Southend Council wants to build the road, between Eastwoodbury Lane and Nestuda Way, to allow for the extension of Southend Airport’s runway by 300m.

But the council and airport have decided to push ahead with the new link road even if a High Court judge blocks the runway extension.

The council faces two applications for a judicial review[s] against its decision in January last year to approve the runway extension.

Tory council leader Nigel Holdcroft said: “The road, as it is, has benefits to the town on its own, whatever the outcome of the judicial review. […even though the Council only made these up as an afterthought once the airport wanted the road to enable the runway extension]

“The road will go ahead anyway in advance of whether the judicial review goes ahead. […despite the fact that the judicial review may require the road to be removed.]

“The airport is desperate to go ahead.”

It is expected the new road would help to reduce congestion. […but there is no evidence to support this assertion.]

Nineteen objections have been lodged by people living in the vicinity over the plans to build the new road, which were agreed in November. The plan will take up 5.2 hectares of St Laurence park.

Mr Holdcroft said the cabinet and full council had a legal duty to look at the objections as part of the consultation process over the plans.

He added: “A majority of objections seem to be objecting to the airport expansion, rather than the link road.” […which is perfectly valid - the link road is being built specifically to enable the runway extension. We should point out that we are happy to object to the road in its own right though as it will destroy greenbelt, ruin parkland and increase traffic and pollution.]

The £2million cost of the road will be covered by the airport, but the council is looking at spending its own cash [a further £2million, according to council reports] to upgrade it with cycle paths, though no decision has yet been taken on this matter.

Alastair Welch, the airport’s managing director, said: “The airport development programme is moving ahead with the new station and control tower all but complete and work on the new terminal well under way.

“Prior to the construction of the runway extension, we must complete the new link road, which will introduce a further road improvement for Southend.

“Construction is scheduled to start on this shortly as we work to ensure the airport development completes in time for the Olympics next year.”