Policy LS2 - Development at London Southend Airport

At page 35 the JAAP refers to the need for a sustainable operating strategy and includes reference to a "carbon and environmental management plan". It is important that the JAAP should acknowledge the scientific reality that aviation is not sustainable. Any suggestion that it is sustainable is irrational. Aviation could be sustainable if fuel were to be derived from non-fossil fuel resources and any greenhouse gases emitted were captured and sequestered. But fuel currently derived from sources such as algae are believed to be so prohibitively expensive that only the super rich could ever afford to fly.

The airport owners should be required to publish annually the total quantity of the various greenhouse gas emissions associated with the flights to and from the airport, and all emissions from the ground based operations.

The airport should also be required to publish an annual report and certificate on compliance with the handling of de-icing and other contaminants. This report should detail how contaminated water and other effluent are handled and detail any leaks into the surrounding water courses.

It is irrational and dangerous not to include these.

The councils should also require that the airport owners undertake to investigate all complaints relating to other contaminants that land on property and provide an annual report on the outcome of these investigations.

Page 35 notes that planning applications will be welcomed that contribute to modal shift. The JAAP should in fact set out what penalties it will put in place to deter the airport owners from offering flights to destinations that can be reached by rail.

Fully support this and agree provision should be given to staff for altenative ways to travel to/from work

Noise issues are not at present being dealt with satisfactorily, and there is no guarantee that this will change in the future. Crow-scarers are being employed to shoo birds off the runway, and the noise is very alarming to my dog. SBC keeps no log of complaints but the airport is self-monitoring. Placating letters are sent out to those who complain, but complain to much and you are disallowed and called a vexatious person< Where is democracy?
The transport infrastructure in Southend needs a park and ride facility. Unless this can be built, access to and from the airport will always be fraught with difficulties. Applications are being made for government money to fund changes to the A127, but these changes will not help local people to cope any better then they can at present.

Object as too built up and i bet no councellor lives by the airport To be honest i dont really understand the questions as they are written gives no positive choice and leads

The development of the airport to it's current operating level has already had a massive detrimental impact to residents of the Somerset Estate. The noise is unacceptable and it is clear that we are being affected by polution from operations. Windows are covered in oil and grime and this will only get worse. As residents we have been ignored from day one and continue to be so when complaints are made to the airport.

The councils have therefore failed in their duty of care to the local population by doing everything in their power to increase flights and noise. Worse still the councils have squandered public money on various facilities associated with the airport and the airport has stripped £millions out of the local economy by devaluing property near the airport and flight path.

The last JAAP process showed that around 80% of respondents did not want the high growth scenario for airport expansion and an opinion poll last year showed that 61% of local people opposed expansion.

At page 35 the JAAP refers to the need for a sustainable operating strategy and includes reference to a "carbon and environmental management plan". It is important that the JAAP should acknowledge the scientific reality that aviation is not sustainable. Any suggestion that it is sustainable is irrational. Aviation could be sustainable if fuel were to be derived from non-fossil fuel resources and any greenhouse gases emitted were captured and sequestered. But fuel currently derived from sources such as algae are believed to be so prohibitively expensive that only the super rich could ever afford to fly.

The airport owners should be required to publish annually the total quantity of the various greenhouse gas emissions associated with the flights to and from the airport, and all emissions from the ground based operations.

The airport should also be required to publish an annual report and certificate on compliance with the handling of de-icing and other contaminants. This report should detail how contaminated water and other effluent are handled and detail any leaks into the surrounding water courses.

It is irrational and dangerous not to include these.

The councils should also require that the airport owners undertake to investigate all complaints relating to other contaminants that land on property and provide an annual report on the outcome of these investigations.

Page 35 notes that planning applications will be welcomed that contribute to modal shift. The JAAP should in fact set out what penalties it will put in place to deter the airport owners from offering flights to destinations that can be reached by rail.

See LS1 comments - no benefit/cost analysis to locals either

I would like to strongly object to the airport development mainly because the underlying business, I suspect, is unsustainable -
There is anecdotal evidence that many of the involved businesses are operating as almost suicidal pricing and are vulnerable to a combination economic conditions and high fuel prices - both of which have been volatile

My wife and I have already made representations on the last JAAP and have never received any notification of the voting on the preferred option. We quote page 32 in the booklet: Expansion is, however, only acceptable if it is undertaken subject to strict environmental controls, which will ensure that the environment of Southend, Rochford and the wider area is not significantly affected. Page 33 mentions control over night flights. 120 night flights, plus, a month is hardly an acceptable figure. LS2, LS3 and LS7 deals with noise. We can tell you that aircraft noise now does impact on our quality of life - so we are not looking forward to 53,300 aircraft movements per year.