NINE people have objected to moving a 38m-stretch of Victorian wall at a church for Southend Airport’s multi-million-pound extension.
A special directions hearing has been called to decide whether the wall at St Laurence and All Saints, Eastwood, can be removed. The hearing will be at the church on Friday, March 4 [at 10am].
A CAMPAIGNER has spoken of her fears for the future of a church near Southend Airport.
Kiti Theobald, chairman of the Friends of St Laurence and All Saints Church in Eastwood, is hopeful a court hearing, about a church wall needing to be removed, will scupper the airport’s runway extension.
Mrs Theobald, also vice chairman of Stop Airport Extension Now, is one of nine people who wrote to object to plans to remove about 38m of the late-Victorian wall around the medieval church.
Nine letters of objection prompted chancellor George Pulman QC, Chelmsford’s ecclesiastical judge, to call a directions hearing.
Mrs Theobald, a retired teacher of Brendon Way, Eastwood, said: “In the friends of the church group we probably have a couple of hundred members and I would say about 80 per cent of them are against this work.
“There are fears the church could end up going completely and removing the wall and putting a 3m fence in would mean one would not be able to view the church at all well.”
The proposal would see the wall rebuilt to the west of the church yard. As part of the agreement, a section of Eastwoodbury Lane running alongside the church would be diverted and the airport field will have a 3m-high security perimeter fence, which will be behind a yew hedge.
Alastair Welch, managing director of the airport, told the Echo the airport will take part in the hearing on March 4 and it would be prejudge the outcome.
By Ryan McCarthy »
A CHURCH wall could delay Southend Airport’s multi-million pound extension.
About 38m of a late-Victorian wall, around the medieval church of St Laurence and All Saints, Eastwood, needs to be removed to allow for the airfield to expand.
Officials at the Grade I listed church have not complained, but nine individuals have written letters of objection.
This has prompted Chancellor George Pulman QC, Chelmsford’s ecclesiastical judge, to call a special directions hearing to decide whether the wall can be removed.
A spokesman for Chelmsford Diocese said: “The chancellor will have formed the opinion this proposal could be controversial and he will have convened the hearing to understand the different views.”
The hearing will be held at the church on Friday, March 4. Mr Pulman will introduce objectors and set a date for a further official hearing, also likely to be held at the church.
Paul McPherson, church warden, said: “The airport had to apply for a planning permission to remove and replace the church wall and we had to put a notice up of their intentions.
“There were objectors so the chancellor will decide what happens next.”
The proposal is to remove the wall around the historic church and replace it with a yew hedge.
The wall would be rebuilt at the other side of the church yard and the airport will also resurface the 19-space church car park, as well as landscape the area around it.
As part of the agreement, a section of Eastwoodbury Lane, running alongside the church, will be diverted.
The airport field will have a 3m security perimeter fence, which will be behind the yew hedge.
Alastair Welch, managing director of the airport, said: “We have worked with the church over the past few years as the airport’s plans have developed.
“We will be taking part in the directions hearing in March. It would be wrong for us to prejudge or speculate about the outcome.”
PUBLIC NOTICE
CARE OF CHURCHES AND ECCLESIASTICAL
JURISDICTION MEASURES 1991 AND FACULTY
JURISDICTION RULES 2000
Notice is hereby given that a Directions Hearing is to take place
At: 10:00 Hrs
On: 4TH March 2011
At: St Laurence and All Saints Church, Eastwood
In respect of a Petition for Faculty by London Southend Airport Company Limited for works at St Laurence and All Saints Church within the Parish of Eastwood comprising:
The dismantling and removal of approximately 38 metres of the southern churchyard boundary wall and its replacement with a Yew hedge, and for the reinstallation of the wall on the western boundary of the Church .
Reason for works:
As part of the approval plans to extend the runway at London Southend Airport, it is necessary to demolish and relocate a section of the churchyard wall for the safety of operations at the airport.
Copies of the Petition for Faculty documents are available for inspection in the Reception area at London Southend Airport and are also available online at www.southendairport.com [It's very well hidden - this link takes you straight there]
So, another week and another topic! If you have not already begun a letter-writing campaign to the officers of the Developmental Control Committee, this may be the topic that gets you started, because to some, it will be the most emotive of all.
In 2002, the CAAG (Church and Airport Action Group) campaign was successful in protecting St Laurence Church from demolition due to the aim to expand the airport and extend the Runway End Safety Area. This current application to extend the runway accepts that the church is still there, and it shows clearly on all the plans as an obstruction. The CAA has yet to venture its opinion on whether it will still be an ‘acceptable obstruction’, but anyone who lives near or passes by the church must wonder why the houses opposite the church have to be demolished, whilst the church is allowed to stay where it is! Perhaps they are hoping that the vibrations from aircraft, warming up their engines next door, or landing heavily mere yards away, will cause the old building to demolish itself, and save the airport having to do it.
So the church will become a very noisy place to worship, at least; it is not a redundant church, but a building of great antiquity, which is used throughout the week by a number of people for a variety of purposes. There is no question of stopping the aeroplanes from using the runway whilst services take place and no question of the parishioners moving somewhere else. The church has stood there for a thousand years, and it is believed to have been a centre of worship even before that. When the airport began as an aerodrome in wartime, the planes had a short take-off and were nowhere near the church at any time; the problem now is the size of the aircraft they want to put there will once again threaten the fabric of the building itself.
Now, supposing that you live to the east of the church and wish to attend services; there is at the moment a short distance to walk, but in the future they envisage, a walk of about a mile will get you to the church.
Which brings me to the last point; what right do these people have to shut off an ancient right of way? You will note that throughout the last few months, they have been using the word ‘diversion’ rather than closure of Eastwoodbury Lane. The village of Eastwood, which has been slowly eroded by Southend Borough Council for years, once stood all around the church, and there were thatched cottages in Eastwoodbury Lane until the second part of the Twentieth Century. One was pulled down because ‘ the doorway was too low’ ! The name itself is indicative of its purpose – it is the way you go in order to bury someone at the church.
So, sorry about the history lesson, much of which you may have known already, but if you have time this week, sbc-dcc@saen.org.uk is the place to send your letters. One letter will reach all 17 of the committee who will decide on the future of the airport. Mine goes off later this evening…
Regards,
Kiti
