THIS is how Southend’s bustling and expanded airport could look within just two years.

The computer image has been published by the airport’s owner as builders put the finishing touches to the new £10million terminal.

It shows plans already drawn up by airport bosses to expand the terminal by 150 per cent with a 90-metre extension, five new aircraft stands and three extra departure gates.

Alastair Welch, managing director of Southend Airport, said: “We were pleased to consult on our plans for Phase 2 of the terminal at Southend Airport.

“These developments will help us ensure the high levels of customer service we will be offering to passengers are maintained as we progress towards our goal of 2 million passengers per year by 2020.”

An application for the extension – due to cost a further £10 million – is likely to be submitted to Rochford District Council within weeks.

Work on the two-storey terminal started in January last year and the building is due to welcome first passengers on February 28. The 60-metre building has three departure gates and room for five aircraft to line up on the apron outside.

It has been designed to handle about 700,000 people a year, most of whom will be customers of budget airline easyJet, which starts fights to nine destinations on April 2.

However, owner Stobart Air wants to extend the building’s northern end.

The airport’s owner is stressing the extension will not automatically lead to an increase in passenger numbers, but allow the airport to cope with more passengers if there is an increase.

The terminal’s northern wall has been designed so it can be easily removed when the time comes to extend the building.

If the extension gets planning permission, work could start by the end of the year and be completed by early 2014.

The number of passenger flights would be likely to rise from a projected 7,700 in 2012 to 18,900 by 2020, with low-cost airlines accounting of much of the business.