Battle for Southend airport hots up
[11th April 2008]
As the London Olympics approaches seven companies are believed to be interested in buying the strategically well located Southend airport in Essex.
London City airport expressed its interest in buying Southend airport last month, but now the Essex Echo reports that a total of seven companies are in the mix. "We have now gone through the first qualifying stage and we have reached a shortlist of seven possible bidders. We are on target to complete the sale of the airport in June, which was our intention when we started the process in January," Southend airport MD, Alistair Welch, told the paper.
The current owner of Southend airport, Regional Airports, is looking to dispose of the airport as it concentrates its resources on its private jet facility at Biggin Hill airport in Kent. More than 40 companies are thought to have been sent information packs about the airport when the sale was announced in January.
Southend used to be the third busiest London airport, handling nearly 700,000 passengers in 1967. Now with increasing pressure on London airports and the forthcoming London Olympics in 2012, Southend could once again become a major London airport.
There are plans for a new airport railway station with journey times to Liverpool Street of 49 minutes and to Stratford, site of the 2012 Olympics, of only 42 minutes. A new airport car park is being built, and construction could begin soon on a new airport hotel.
“We have already invested a great deal in the airport’s infrastructure and have secured approval for exciting development plans. What is required now is for an owner with the required resources and expertise to realise fully the potential that we know is there. London Southend is ready to once again become an internationally recognised airport,” says chief executive of Regional Airports, Andrew Walters.
Written by: Nick Purdom
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