Hi

My name is Kevin Chinnery and I live locally on Manners Way. I was born in a house right opposite Southend airport. From a boy to man I have followed the progress or lack of it, concerning the airport. I would like to pass my thoughts on the current situation.

I am aware of the potential railway link and hotel and all that headline grabbing news. The airport website is quite informative and the local papers do their best to keep the public up to speed. It's like buying yesterdays news, a bit like watching the lack of progress with the Pier, it's both frustrating and annoying seeing consultations and councils changing but no real progress.

This time around I must confess with the airport unlike the pier there feels a real genuine opportunity for massive change and all for the better. The hotel, the railway, the job creation, the infrastructure......all good all positive and all massive progress for the prosperity of the area and Southend/Rochford in general.

There may be disruption and there may be noise and even pollution but all of these have legislation to contain and maintain standard. So let the clip board negatives have their say because the law will protect their issues. What they must not be allowed to do is to stand in the way of this golden opportunity for the development of all that is proposed.

Further to my own view, my mother lives directly opposite the main entrance to the airport......literally neighbours to the traffic and noise. She is elderly and getting frail but her faculties are still alert including her sight and hearing. She has no objection to all that is proposed and links her views to the immediate neighbours.

I was married in the church at the runway edge and I am relieved and delighted that it will remain as changes to this would have been both offensive and outrageous!

So if you have not gathered, I am in favour of the airport development and applaud the council for it's current efforts to succeed. I trust this will remain the case and together lets get the job done!

Thank you for taking the time to read my notes and I await any reply that you see fit.

Kind regards

Kevin Chinnery