WORK on Southend Airport’s new passenger terminal is nearing completion.

The £10million building will be completed in October and is taking shape opposite the new railway station.

The structure of the two-storey building is complete, with windows, escalators and all the internal walls installed.

Contractors working for the Buckingham Group, which is overseeing the project, have now started on laying the floors and fitting out the interior.

Robin Michel, Buckingham’s design manager, said: “It’s going very well. We have eight weeks to go and things are looking fine. We are just in the fitting-out stages now.”

Passengers will check-in on the ground floor, before going upstairs to go through security and down again to the three departure gates.

The departure area has space for three shops, which Stobart bosses have earmarked for a duty free shop, a newsagents and a cafe.

Other features include a first-floor business lounge and a ground-floor cafe in arrivals plus car hire.

Airport bosses say the terminal has been designed to give customers the shortest possible journey from check-in to plane to ease their experience.

Jonathan Rayner, #Stobart business development manager, said it will be less than 100 steps between the station and the terminal. He also said it will take less than 15 minutes for people getting off the plane to be at the station platform.

He said: “How many other London airports can claim that?”