Southend Airport bought by Stobart

Campaigners are beginning a campaign to prevent any increase in traffic into and out of Southend Airport. The Stop Airport Extension Now group was formed at the news that freight haulage company, Stobart has bought the airport for £21 million with plans to make it a centre for “niche air freight”, involving urgent and high-value goods.

Campaign chairman, Kiti Theobald, said: “As a freight haulage company, Stobart will clearly want to run more cargo flights to and from Southend. We haven’t been consulted on the new owner’s plans and the devastating impact they will have on the lives of thousands of residents.”

Alastair Welch, managing director at the airport, said: “The airport already operates a niche cargo operation for small high-value goods from Europe. We did not and never will have the capacity for large or long-haul cargo.”

With recent disruptions by protesters at both Bangkok airports and London Stansted it remains to be seen how Stobart will manage the relationship with the campaigners and its own plans for the airport.