Consultation document JAAP London Southend Airport

Thank you for your kind invitation allowing Rayleigh Town Council to air its views on the above document. Our main interest and concern is that the airport continues to serve the local population without mushrooming into an uncontrolled expansion programme and that our "air space" is protected from invasion by other south-east airport operators.

The existing periphery corridors are working well and our air space at the moment appears to be free from overspill stacking and contamination. We would recommend that this situation must be recognized and legally protected, as far as possible, especially in view of the fact that the sale of the airport lease is reaching completion. We would also like to see existing jobs protected and the future of the users of the airport facilities guaranteed.

It has been accepted that future growth of the airport is inevitable. We understand that plans have already been approved and the building programme finalized. With our infrastructure already stretched to the limit we would welcome a proposal to improve the local road and rail structure to a level capable of absorbing new and existing traffic.

It would appear that scenario 2 b) (Issues and options report) best covers the points identified above.