Following on from Rochford and Southend Councils' Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP) Issues and Options consultation in Summer 2008, the Councils announced their Preferred Option for further consultation in February 2009. This Preferred Option was the subject of consultation until 15 May 2009. During the consultation period the Airport carried out various activities to gauge public opinion on the development of the Airport.

At the start of the consultation, an edition of the Airport's community newsletter - 'Take off' was delivered to around 40,000 homes around the Airport. The areas delivered to included, Leigh, Westcliff, parts of Southend, Thorpe Bay, Eastwood, Rochford and Canvey Island. The newsletter aimed to update stakeholders about proposed developments and future plans at the Airport giving the public clear, concise facts. The newsletter included a pre-paid response card, which invited the recipient to make their comments and provide us with their opinions on the future of the Airport.

A new website - www.flysouthend2012.com - was launched in March 2009. This was designed to keep the public up to date on the progress of various Phase One and Two projects. The website also offered visitors the chance to share their opinions on the JAAP consultation by filling in an online comment form.

An information stand, again clearly stating the main facts associated with the development, was on display within the Airport terminal building, along with external venues including the local college, supermarket, shopping centre and theatre. The stand was manned by airport staff, able to answer questions and provide information on the proposals. The staff gave the public the opportunity to fill out comment cards with their opinions on the JAAP and the future of the Airport.

From the start of the consultation to 12 May 2009 a total of 4,207 responses were received. Of these 3,468 were positive and supported the Council's Preferred Option in the JAAP consultation with 739 objecting to the Council's Preferred Option. The cards are available for review by the Councils.

The level of support (circa 82%) is consistent with past independent polls, which in summer 2008 showed support for airport development of over 80%.

Where there was public support, the key themes were:

• Bringing much needed employment to the town
• Improving the economy of Southend
• Easier access to travel abroad

Some of the comments given in support of the Airport reminisced about the Airport in its heyday and want it brought back into full operation again.

'Having lived here for over 30 years, I cannot wait for the expansion at last - Well done Mr Stobart and Good Luck'

'Any improvement to this under used resource is great. We used the airport once upon a time - now go to Stansted, Gatwick or Heathrow - not only will it bring employment but cut traffic to the above airports - Brilliant'

'I think its been nothing short of criminal the way the airport has been left to fend for itself and I amongst many friends can't wait for Stobart's to come in and make a go of it'

'I have lived in Rochford, a stones throw from the airport, all my life and I welcome the growth of the airport - it has and should remain a working airport - we need it'

Many comments merely said 'good luck' and 'Hurry and get on with it!!!'

Where comments did not support the Councils' Preferred Option there were a number of consistent themes. These were:

• Pollution
• Congestion
• Noise / night flights and
• Concerns over freight

The Airport would like to work with Rochford and Southend Councils and would need to address the comments noted as part of any planning application. Initial comments on these subjects are listed below.

Pollution / Climate Change
Any Environmental Impact Assessment would need to take account of pollution matters, in particular the effect on levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter (PM10), compared against the national air quality standards for these pollutants. In terms of climate change, it is Government policy that aviation should be included in emissions trading such that expanding aviation does not lead to increased Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. The Secretary of State for Transport has said that any expansion would have to live within the tight caps proposed by the EU and any growth in aviation emissions would be fully offset by a reduction in emissions elsewhere. In addition, today there are around 500,000 flights per year taken to Europe by people living in Southend and Rochford. These people typically drive to Stansted or Gatwick for their flights so flying from their local airport may, in fact, reduce pollution.

Traffic and Transport
The effects on road traffic would be modelled as part of any planning application but an estimate is that the Airport - at 2 million passengers (10-15 years in the future) - could result in around 240 passenger related peak hour road movements in each direction. Due to scheduling by airlines, these peaks generally do not coincide with the morning and evening peak hours on the local road network.

Putting the expected traffic movements for a 2 million passenger airport into context, it is expected that the traffic movements at peak times would be around the number associated at peak times with a typical supermarket - and significantly less than a major superstore.

In addition, £12 million is being invested to deliver a new rail station, a very significant improvement in public transport services to the Airport.

Aircraft Noise
A key incentive for the extension to the airport runway is the ability to accommodate modern efficient aircraft currently using most regional airports today. With the current runway, Southend would still grow and evolve from where it is today however it would be constrained by relying on older, noisier and less fuel efficient aircraft running very short haul flights in the UK and northern Europe.

Newer aircraft require an extended runway to operate, take off and climb significantly more quietly and more steeply than commercial aircraft using the Airport today. On landing new instrumentation would increase the angle of approach ensuring that commercial aircraft would generally be higher over Southend and Leigh than today. Elsewhere in the Airport's formal response to the JAAP, the latest noise forecasts for the Airport are summarised. These show a comparison of noise impacts for the Airport today against predicted future impacts that would arise from the Airport operating with the longer runway.

Night Flying
Currently more than 900 flights per month are permitted to take place at night. The Airport fully accepts the need to work with the Councils and commit to controls and reductions for night flights if broader support is to be gained.

Cargo
Air cargo in the UK today is predominantly transported in long haul passenger aircraft or dedicated wide bodied freighters. This size of aircraft would not be able to use Southend Airport with or without an extended runway. The niche cargo that is flown in and out of Southend Airport today is low volume, high value goods such as aircraft parts, high tech machine parts and urgent medical supplies. This is a small part of the overall operation of the Airport and it is proposed to continue these activities.

Rumours relating to intentions to develop a general goods depot at the Airport are unfounded. The concept is not commercially viable and there is no intention of doing this.

That said, the Airport would be prepared to volunteer a cargo cap at the airport to reassure local residents that air cargo operations will be limited at the airport in the future.