Consultation on Joint Area Action Plan Launched
Consultation on Joint Area Action Plan Launched
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Rochford District Council have launched their formal stakeholder consultation on the Joint Area Action Plan for London Southend Airport and the surrounding area. The document looks at strategic land use, Green Belt boundaries, transport and regeneration of the area over the next decade.
The plan contains very different scenarios for the area, each looking at different growth levels for the airport and surrounding businesses. These scenarios have been put forward following detailed technical studies and will be open for public and key stakeholder consultation until 8 August 2008. This consultation period is known as ‘Regulation 25’ and at this stage; the councils have no preferred scenario.
The Joint Area Action Plan presents a real opportunity to steer growth of the airport and the surrounding employment areas. The four options put forward are very different – with one delivering stagnation at the airport to the other delivering a small but thriving regional airport in time for the 2012 Olympics.
The option entitled Scenario 3 presents an option to deliver a fully functional regional airport which is attractive to carriers. The proposals would mean the regeneration of the local area, stimulate significant investment in the airport and create hundreds of new jobs for Southend. The airport will become a commercially attractive base for airlines serving a wide range of European destinations and holiday hotspots such as Spain, Portugal and Italy, finally delivering an airport we can be proud of. This is the only option which includes the extension of the runway (without touching the church).
The proposals include:
• Improved access to new employment areas
• Diversion rather than closure of Eastwoodbury Lane
• Inclusion of a new terminal, parking and rail station
• New mixed use development on the brickworks site
• A new park and ride facility for Southend opposite the RBS building
• Larger airport business park designed to create over 3,700 new jobs
Feedback from this consultation, alongside comments from statutory consultees, businesses and detailed technical studies will inform the councils’ choice of scenario. Following this, the two councils open up the preferred scenario for wider and more detailed public consultation, which will seek a greater involvement from the wider community. This is likely to happen towards the end of 2008.
If you would like to take part in the consultation, you can find the consultation document at the link below and make comments online.
http://rochford.jdi-consult.net/jaap/index.php
If you wish to submit your views but are unable to do so online, please contact your respective Council’s representative who will explain how:
Rochford District Council
Sam Hollingworth 01702 318102
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
Debee Skinner 01702 215408
You can also email to JAAP@rochford.gov.uk
If you would like to discuss the options with the airport in more detail to help to inform you about development, please do contact our information line on 0800 093 8100.
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