Response of London Southend Airport Company Ltd to Rochford Local Plan: Spatial Options Consultation 2021

LSA is delighted to respond on the new local plan.
Our focus is primarily in relation to establishing a positive policy framework for continued growth and development of London Southend Airport (LSA), in accordance with up to date national policy that supports airport’s making best use of their existing runways, and in recognition of the important role and highly positive contribution the development of LSA can make to the District.

In addition, our response also makes suggestions to be considered for improved connectivity to the airport to the east of the railway line.

We would be keen engage with the Council on the drafting of policies and supporting text and urge the
continued close cooperation with Southend Borough Council on their new local plan.

Your sincerely
Glyn Jones
Chief Executive Officer

Rochford Local Plan: Spatial Options Consultation Paper 2021
Response of London Southend Airport Company Ltd
Policy Approach in Relation to Future of London Southend Airport
We are pleased to note the Consultation includes a section on the future of London Southend Airport (LSA).

National Aviation Policy
The section on the Future of LSA refers to current national policy which supports airports making best use
of their existing runways.
The text on page 91 refers to The Aviation Policy Framework (2013) and the Beyond the Horizon – The
future of UK aviation (2018) policy. It is also worth noting that in response to the challenges of tackling climate change, the government has also recently published its Transport Decarbonisation Plan and commenced consultation on its ‘Jet Zero’ strategy.

In the Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP), published by the Department for Transport in July 2021, the
Government explains that:
“International connectivity is a vital part of Global Britain and everyone should continue to have access to affordable flights, allowing them to go on holiday, visit family and do business.”
The Jet Zero consultation sets out how Government intends to preserve the benefits of air travel and deliver clean growth consistent with its 2050 net zero target. It also confirms that the international connectivity provided by UK’s aviation sector is vital to the country’s long term economic prosperity, and subject to the aviation sector playing its role in decarbonising the UK economy and delivering net zero aviation by 2050, that:
“everyone should continue to have access to affordable flights, allowing them to enjoy holidays, visit friends and family overseas and to travel for business”.
The TDP and Jet Zero represent the most recent expressions of policy, set out the Government’s position
that growth in aviation is compatible with meeting the UK's greenhouse gas reduction targets and reaffirm specific support for making best use of existing runways.
Growth and Development of London Southend Airport
Prior to the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, passenger numbers at LSA had increased to 2.2m in 2019
and some 1,500 people were employed at the airport. More broadly, the airport supported 2,200 direct,
indirect and induced jobs, over 1,400 of which were in South Essex, and contributed £77m per annum to
South Essex economy.

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the global aviation industry in 2020. Southend, along with
all other UK airports, has experienced a significant reduction in passenger traffic, as a result of both Government imposed restrictions on air travel and reduced passenger demand at this time.
Whilst it is expected that Government travel restrictions will continue to impact on passenger demand and traffic levels throughout 2021 and into 2022, we expect traffic levels will start to recover as Government restrictions ease and that material recovery from the pandemic is anticipated by 2023-4.
By 2026, we expect LSA’s passenger throughput to have surpassed Pre-COVID levels and that the airport will be welcoming some 3 to 3.5 million passengers per year through the existing infrastructure. With investment to construct the developments permitted by existing planning consents, and operating within the existing Section 106 movement cap of 53,300 movements, we consider that the airport could serve some 7 to 8m passengers by the end of the 2020s.
During the local plan period, and with further investment in new facilities it is possible that passenger traffic could grow beyond 7-8m passengers and serve up to 12mppa. Growth to this level will require new planning consents, including a relaxation of the current movement cap on the number of aircraft operations.

These levels of growth reflect the fact that LSA is very much part of the London aviation “system”, with over 60% of LSA’s departing passengers self-identifying as originating in London in 2019, and the widely recognised position that airports in London and the South East are increasingly facing longer term capacity constraints where demand for travel will outstrip capacity.
An economic assessment carried out by PA Consulting on behalf of LSACL, forecasts that LSA would then be the location for 6,600 jobs with a further 3,300 indirect and induced FTEs jobs. Over 6,100 of these would be in South Essex and valued at over £0.5bn in South Essex economy.
We have also now commenced studies to understand what the implications of further growth of LSA would be, including on noise, transport and air quality. These studies will form part of our plan to consult on un updated Masterplan. The outputs form the studies and the development of the masterplan can be used to inform the preparation of the new Rochford Local Plan (as well as the new Southend Local Plan).

Policy for London Southend Airport
Planned in the right way, the development of LSA can make a highly positive contribution to the vision for the District, and a number of the strategic objectives set out in the Consultation Paper.
As noted in the “Economy” section of the draft Vision, the connectivity offered by a successful LSA will support the attractiveness of the area for business and investment. The success of LSA is vital to the economic prosperity of Southend, Rochford and the surrounding area and we are pleased that the text on page 91 recognises the important role LSA plays in supporting employment and the local economy.
Whilst the COVID pandemic has seen job numbers at the airport reduce to less than 900 from a peak of over 1,500 in 2019, we are expecting employment levels to return as passenger growth recovers. Job growth at the airport would support the objective of reducing levels of out commuting from the district as well as supporting skills development. Transport infrastructure at the airport could also support objectives related to improved local transport and connectivity.
The growth of the airport will have implications for the local area, and we agree that that the characterisation of these (on page 91) is fair representation of the range of positive impacts to be encouraged and environmental matters that would need to be addressed in future development plans.

Response to Question 28 Future of London Southend Airport
Question 28 of the Consultation seeks views on policy options available for the future planning of LSA.
LSACL consider that whichever options is followed, cooperation on the policy with Southend BC will be
important, and it would be helpful if both authorities adopted similar approaches.
We consider that the current Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP) has served the area well. Equally, with consent
now having been granted for the new business park (which formed a major component of the JAAP), we
do not consider there is now a need for an updated formal statutory Joint Area Action Plan to guide the
future planning of the airport and its surroundings.
We consider that the Local Plan should contain a section and policy or policies for the development and growth of LSA. We support a combination of Options 2 and 3:
i) Policy Supporting Development of London Southend Airport
In accordance with national policy, there should be a clear policy expressing support in principle of LSA’s
growth and development, subject to the normal local environmental safeguards, including noise, air quality and transport being acceptably addressed and mitigated in any new proposals. We would envisage the Local Plan defining the boundary of the airport and supporting development and redevelopment within the boundary of facilities that support the airport’s operation, growth and development. The policy would refer to the updated masterplan being prepared by LSACL which would be used to guide development of the airport.
This is the most common approach adopted by other planning authorities which contain a commercial
airport in their area.
Any proposals for development at the airport that would require the alterations to the current terms of the Section 106 agreement, would require the agreement of both Rochford and Southend Councils.
Therefore cooperation on the revised policy is essential.
We would be keen to engage with both Councils on the drafting of this policy and supporting text.
ii) Policy on Airport Related Parking
We consider it would be appropriate for a policy to be included in the Plan that airport related parking should only permitted within or immediately adjacent to the airport boundary. This is an approach that a
number of local authorities have adopted, and has been found to be sound and justified at local plan
examinations. In particular, it is the approach that recognises that whilst many passengers will drive to the
airport, it reduces the length and number of journeys by avoiding passengers parking more remotely and having to take extra journey’s via shuttle buses or valet parking operatives.

Response to Question 28 Future of London Southend Airport and Q52 (Transport Connections)
Question 52 of the Consultation asks where improvements could be made to transport connections and what could be done to improve connectivity.
Access to the London Southend Airport Rail Station
We consider that the Local Plan should consider how access to LSA’s rail station could be made more
convenient for local residents. At the present time a number local residents walk to the station, but the
route to the station, particularly from the residential areas to the east of Southend Road could be made shorter and more direct if an access was provided to the east side of the station through the “green buffer” (currently protected by policy ENV6 of the Joint Area Action Plan). It is recognised that such an improvement would also probably require the extension of a parking control schemes to prevent ‘fly parking’.
We consider the new local plan presents a timely opportunity to review whether the “green buffer” land
east of the railway could be more effectively used in connection with the railway and the airport, whilst
retaining and potentially enhancing the quality and effectiveness of the buffer for local residents. This site
could for example provide an excellent opportunity for improved local bus connectivity / interchange to the railway station and airport. Planned and designed in a sensitive way, and with higher quality landscaping, the buffer could be enhanced, whilst at the same time facilitating improved connectivity.