PLANS to build a new link road near Southend Airport have taken a step forward.

Southend councillors have backed plans to give up five hectares of St Laurence Park to make way for the road, between Eastwoodbury Lane and Nestuda Way.

The council's Tory leader Nigel Holdcroft said the road will be built regardless of whether the airport runway extension, currently the subject of a judicial review, goes ahead or not.

Special meetings were held last night of the council's economic and environmental scrutiny committee and then full council.

Southend Airport will pay £2 million for the building of the road.

Nineteen objections have been lodged by neighbours over the plans for the new road.

Because the council is adding a meadow near Eastwoodbury Lane to St Laurence Park, officers said there will be a net increase in its size by just over one hectare.