SOUTHEND Airport will never be a major lorry depot or delivery centre for bulk freight, Alastair Welch told a gathering of the town’s business chiefs.

Mr Welch, the managing director of the airport, moved to allay residents fears about the planned expansion since the takeover by the haulage company Eddie Stobart.

Speaking at the Southend Business Partnership meeting at Saxon Hall yesterday, he said: “I want to try to dispel some of the myths which have been going around about the future of the airport.

“It would be in the wrong place to be a lorry depot and, whatever happens with the extension, Southend would never be in the position to take bulk cargo.

“Our aim is to develop a regional airport which will cater for the people of Southend and the surrounding area, while maintaining an important base for maintenance and servicing of aircraft.

“We are one of the busiest centres for aircraft maintenance in the country and more than 1,000 people are employed in Southend.”

Mr Welch said the airport’s research had shown a large number of people in the area wanted to go by air from south Essex to holiday destinations, well above the national average.

He also said Eastwoodbury Lane would be diverted, not closed, because of the runway extension.

“Our research shows traffic is expected to flow better than it does now when this work is completed,” he said. “There have been stories that people will not be able to extend their homes. It is absolute nonsense.

“We also have the noise and nuisance indicators for the airport, which show that in 1967 the noise was much worse than at the moment.

“The projected noise with two million passengers in 2020 would be virtually the same as two years ago.”

He added: “There is absolutely no intention of building a new Heathrow or Stansted at Southend Airport.”