London Southend Airport & Environs Joint Area Action Plan Issues & Options Paper

There is a comprehensive analysis of the area that is both clear and understable.

The assessment of the very comprehensive and all assets and issues are fully covered in the Report.

Yes, RSL is in agreement the overall Vision for the airport and its environs. The Report sets out clearly the shared Vision of all stakeholders and is well presented.

There is a comprehensive analysis of the area that is both clear and understable.

The assessment of the very comprehensive and all assets and issues are fully covered in the Report.

Yes, RSL is in agreement the overall Vision for the airport and its environs. The Report sets out clearly the shared Vision of all stakeholders and is well presented.

Yes, the objectives cover the key requirements of the JAAP area.

The Government White Paper on Air Transport (2003) supports the development of regional airports such as London Southend Airport. The East of England Plan (Regional Spatial Strategy), Policies E7 and T12 also supports the enhanced management and development of the regions airports, including London Southend Airport, to meet national and regional objectives for economic growth and regeneration.

The Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Core Strategy and the Rochford District Council Local Plan also support the future development of the airport and development of the employment area for future economic growth.

The Regeneration Framework prepared by Renaissance Southend (2007) sets out the key priorities for the future regeneration of Southend. The airport is seen as the driver for economic growth and for the regeneration of Southend and the South Essex Sub-region. The future development and expansion of the aviation based industrial/business cluster around the airport is identified as building upon the existing industrial and business activity supporting g the airport operations. The various employment areas along the A127 transport corridor have an important role for economic growth and in creating employment opportunities in the sub-region.

London Southend Airport is a major asset for Southend-on-Sea and the wider South Essex sub-region. It is identified as a major economic driver for the future business and commercial development of the town and the sub-region and is endorsed in the Regeneration Framework and supported by the Partners for the economic growth and regeneration of Southend-on-Sea. The future growth of the local and sub-regional economic growth will be achieved through the development of the airport for commercial flights and industrial activities based on the expansion of the aviation business and industrial cluster, in particular enhancing the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) business. The aviation operation and the MRO based businesses need to be provided the opportunity to expand their operations in the industrial and employment area on the periphery of the airport, in terms of allocating adjacent land for employment purposes to meet future needs.

To enable the airport expand and to increase its operations for commercial flights, extending the runway will become necessary. The existing runway length is inadequate to meet the requirements of the airline operators and without the improvement of the airport infrastructure there will be considerable uncertainty in the airports role for attracting commercial passenger flights operator(s).

LSA at present with its good connections and future improvements in the infrastructure and facilities is well placed to become a regional airport. The future development of the airport is supported at the national level by the Air Transport White Paper (2003), the regional level by the East of England Plan (Policies E7 and T12) and by the sub-regional strategies of the Thames Gateway.

The airport needs to develop its role for commercial flights and as air passenger destination whilst continuing and expanding its business operation for aviation related maintenance, repair and overhaul market. The expansion of the airport operation and the related growth of the aviation cluster within the airport and the adjoining business area have the opportunity to safeguard existing jobs and create new jobs. The length of runway needs to be extended in order to create opportunity for airlines to operator from London Southend Airport with the bigger aircrafts and place Southend-on-Sea a destination on the air commercial flight operators. There are likely to be many benefits associated with the expansion of commercial flights, in particular improvements in the local infrastructure that will arise through the expansion of the airport, enhancement of the local facilities and increased economic benefits through business growth in the aviation and services industries.