Homepage  |   E-mail this article  |   Print

---

---

Advertisement

12:55 pm, March 19, 2010
Stobart wins approval for Southend Airport plans

By Michael Fahy

Warrington-based transport group Stobart (LSE: STOB) has announced that the government has approved its plan to extend the runway at Southend Airport.

Stobart had applied for a 300-metre extension to the runway so that it can handle more business and leisure travel traffic from Europe. It had already begun work on a new railway station and control tower at the airport - due to open in summer 2010 and spring 2011 respectively.

The runway extension has now gained approval from Communities and Local Government minister John Denham. Stobart said that this means it will be able to offer “congestion-free” travel for visitors to the 2012 Olympic games – the airport is an estimated 40 minutes from the main Olympics park in Stratford.

"This project has been subject to very intense scrutiny, and has the support of the adjoining district councils, a host of local and national bodies, and now the Minister. It has been thoroughly examined and the resounding opinion is that the London Southend Airport development is a positive thing for Essex,” said the firm’s chief executive officer, Andrew Tinkler. “The go-ahead for this project represents another core step in our multi-modal offering with air complementing our road, rail and sea businesses. The development of this strategic asset also gives us a southern logistics hub and platform for the Stobart Group.”

COMMENTS? mfahy@crain.com