FURIOUS residents have labelled the new Southend Airport control tower a “monstrosity” which blights the view from their homes.

People who live opposite the airport in Ann Boleyn Drive, Rochford, are upset at the size and location of the new 80ft tower on the airfield.

It is part of a £35million investment at the airport, which includes a new railway station serving the Liverpool Street line and a runway extension, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

But residents say the tower is an invasion of their privacy and are questioning why it was built so close to houses instead of on the other side of the airport further from any homes.

The frame for the tower’s control room is now in place and construction work is on schedule to finish in August.

John Downard, 76, of Ann Boleyn Drive, said: “It’s a monstrosity. We don’t like it at all. It’s not finished yet and there is going to be a light on it.

“We already get disturbed by aeroplanes and we are not very happy about it at all. Why did they need to build it there?”

His wife, Sheila Downard, 73, added: “It is a total invasion of our privacy. It is going to be lit all night. Originally it was going to be near to the golf course then suddenly they said they were going to move it.

“We are not against progress and we are not against the airport, but it is just invading our privacy.”

Mike Allchorn, 70, another resident in the road, said he also supported the airport.

He said: “We could probably live with the station, but the control tower is a massive building. A lot of councillors voted for this, but it is not in their back garden, it is in mine.

“It is not a very nice looking thing. I feel it is inappropriate.”

Alastair Welch, managing director of Southend Airport, said: “The role of the air traffic control tower is primarily in relation to aircraft safety and a number of features of the control tower are governed by regulations from the Civil Aviation Authority.

“The ideal location for the control tower would have been to the north of the runway although this was not possible due to the proximity of the flood plain in that area. The current location was therefore chosen. This is the first time I have had comments from people. The building, by its very nature, has to be very tall. We will be looking at additional screening of the building as the airport development progresses.”