London Southend Airport is a long-established regional airport for South East Essex and is the Eastern Gateway to London.

Expansion plans have been subject to public consultation closing in May 2009 and Essex FSB produced a Policy Paper in response to that consultation.

Essex FSB Response

Essex FSB supports the principle of expanding London Southend Airport as bringing extra prosperity to the area and attracting new businesses and visitors.

This policy response is based on business needs and does not reflect the interests of residents outside the economic benefits.

We wish to see the projected 7,000 additional jobs being ones that are appropriate for the local community and that suitable education and training is provided to enable local people to successfully fill such jobs.

In addition we wish to see the environmental impact of the project minimised including the use of local firms during the construction phase and then to provide goods and services to the airport and other companies based on the site and on the business park so the carbon footprint is reduced and the revenue is retained in the local economy.

The planned Business Park needs to address the current shortage of start up and incubation units in the Thames Gateway corridor and also the shortage of a suitable conference/training venue for business use.

Provision of additional hotel accommodation as part of the scheme is another aspect Essex FSB would like to see as there is a shortage of reasonable quality hotel accommodation in the are

Download the Essex FSB London Southend Airport Policy Paper here

Latest News

For the latest news on the campaign go to Essex News and insert "Southend Airport" in the search engine.

Comments

If you have comments on this issue please send your views to Essex FSB Development Manager Keith Brown.