BATTLE lines are being drawn against Lord Foster’s plans for a new airport.

Canvey Town Council has strongly objected to the £40billion proposal for a four-runway scheme and vowed to fight them all the way.

Ray Howard, a town, borough and county councillor, told a meeting of the town council: “It is frightening the work which has gone into those plans. I say Canvey Town Council be the first in the queue to register its opposition to the airport. We need to resist these plans from the beginning.”

Mr Howard said he would speak to the chairman of Essex County Council to discuss the possibility of tabling a motion at a meeting for the county council to formally oppose the proposal.

John Anderson, chairman of the town council, said: “When people see big plans like those for the new airport in the newspaper, they tend to dismiss them, but it is a very, very serious issue. It is an absolute nightmare situation and I fully support any motion to oppose the plans.”

Dot Palmer, 64, of Linden Way, Canvey, said: “This will make our lives miserable. I did not move to Canvey to be disturbed at all times of the night by aeroplanes.”