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

The JAAP needs to set out the planning policies framework that will support the future expansion and development of the airport as a regional airport in accordance with the Government's Air Transport White Paper (2003) and the Policies E7 and T12 of the East of England Plan. The planning policy framework should support the airport's masterplan that seek air passenger growth to 2 million passengers per annum with the development of commercial flights for passenger based aircraft.

The JAAP should also safeguard and support the future land for employment to attract new aviation based businesses locate and for the existing local businesses at the airport to expand, businesses that will build upon its current role for repair, maintenance and overhaul of aircrafts. Policies E3 and E4 of the East of England Plan support the safeguarding of strategic employment sites and the development of employment clusters. Southend-on-Sea is a strategic urban centre and has an important role for economic growth and regeneration in the South Essex sub-region. The current employment land is very restricted and future expansion of employment use on the adjoining greenfield sites will increase opportunity to new business investment in the sub-region. This is supported by the East of England Plan.

The location of the industrial/business park adjacent to the airport has considerable potential for economic development. There is at present a cluster of businesses that support the aviation industry and service to the airport operations. The future expansion of the airport will create opportunities for expansion of the local businesses and land adjoining the employment area has the potential to meet future needs of these businesses to grow and attract more investment for new businesses to locate in the area.

The close proximity of the industrial/Business Park whould be attractive for potential investment for various business and industrial users, particularly those business that have an aviation link. The expansion of the airport will attract investment from airlines to operate scheduled commercial flights from London Southend Airport.

The Issues and Options Report has adequately considered all the options that may be applicable in respect of London Southend Airport. Given the various physical constraints and the issues of accessibility, some growth of the Airport can be achieved. The four scenarios set out what can be achieved however, there is an opportunity that an agreed growth option may be a combination of Scenarios 2b and 3, allowing for a high level growth to be achieved through a more managed/controlled criterion.

In order to realise the future potential of the airport and to deliver the employment growth in the South Essex sub-region to 2021, the expansion of the airport and the aviation related industrial/business growth need to be planned. The present boundary of the airport and the employment area is very restricted and gives only a limited opportunity for expansion that will allow airport for increase passenger throughput. Similarly, the potential expansion of the business in the adjoining employment area is restricted and those businesses wishing expand are unable to do so. The future review of the Green Belt should exclude the Airport operational land and the area to the north-west of the airport identified for the expansion of the employment area in the JAAP.

The future expansion of the airport and related economic growth should create an opportunities for enhancement to the environment and the local amenity areas. The priority should be the improvement of local transport and better accessibility (public transport, cycling and walking). Future development at the airport and the expansion of local businesses should contribute to the enhancement of the physical environment and improved accessibility to the open countryside and amenity areas for recreation and leisure.

The greatest potential impact of the development will be the increase level of noise associated with the possible increase in the aircraft movements and the increase in vehicular movement on the road network. The Borough of Southend-on-Sea is densely built-up and a number of residential areas are very close to the airport. The increase in the number air traffic movement will result increase the level of noise with take-off and landing of aircrafts. This increase in air traffic movement can be controlled through the appropriately worded condition on the future planning permission for the airport expansion. This should be clearly set out in the JAAP.

The expansion of the airport and the employment area is likely to increase the level traffic in and around the airport, to ensure that the potential impact is minimised, improvements to the public transport, cycling facilities and walking would be required as part of wider transport strategy. Scenario 3 has the potential to ensure that airport growth can contribute to the future management of the increased traffic. Any adverse impact of traffic increase can be mitigated against through improved public transport that will encourage modal shift way from the private car.

The expansion of the airport and the employment area is likely to some impact on the local ecology and/or the water quality. is increase is serving the airport should will need to be better managed to ensure that the. contribute to the need

The major priority should be improvement to the transport infrastructure and these facilitate should include the future development of a public transport interchange, including "Park and Ride" within the JAAP area. The development of the railway station at the airport should contribute to improved accessibility by train for the air passengers and provide an additional railway station for the local commuters. The expansion of businesses in and around the airport will increase local employment and the increased movement of the workers should be managed through improved public transport, cycling facilities and pedestrian access from the adjoining residential areas. The JAAP should be supported by a Service Access Strategy.

The growth of the airport and the expansion of the adjoining employment areas, promoted by Scenario 3, will need to be supported by improvements to the public transport facilities. This should provide an opportunity to develop a transport interchange at the airport that includes "Park and Ride" that will support the airport passengers and the local employment areas. The improved transport infrastructure and facilities would help in achieving modal from private car.

Other Scenarios are unlikely result in a major investment in the transport infrastructure that will contribute to any modal shift.

In order to meet the future requirement for the expansion of the airport operations, development of the infrastructure and to create opportunities for the growth of the businesses in and around the airport, additional land will be required for employment purposes. The areas identified for employment growth to the west of the airport should be sufficient to meet the future employment land requirements for the airport, aviation cluster of businesses and general employment growth up to 2021. These areas should have minimum impact on the adjoining uses.