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

I acknowledge receipt of the documentation dated 23.06.08, sent to us on the above subject.

This Charity is specifically interested in the opportunity that any airport development will have that serves the interest of disabled people.

This includes:

Users
Employees
Visitors

As the age for retirement, over the next decade will become later, so will the percentage of employed people with disabilities increase. New facilities should be designed "ab initio" for total accessibility, not only for physical, but also sensory, cognitive, and mental disabilities. They should not be post development "add ons".

This statutory obligation should be included in, and positively referred to, in any development plans.

Access
Car Parking
Pick up/Put down
Working
Visiting

Facilities should be inclusive. This includes all businesses on the site including potential tenants.

On the specific issue of access, your report does not define the anticipated market to be covered by the aircraft type anticipated to be users of the airport. Will you focus on business; day trip; low cost budget; or holiday traffic? Will passengers access aircraft by boarding bridge? If not how will disabled passengers be planed and de-planed?

Will all buildings comply with the DDA 1995 and 2005 (Part M of the Building Regulations)?

Will the airport encourage businesses of future commercial opportunities to be based there? Specifically, eco and sustainable economy businesses; training and re-skilling; ICT; and social inclusion.