A VICAR has spoken of his concern over proposals to demolish part of the churchyard wall to make way for the airport expansion plans.
The Rev Nigel Ransom of St Laurence and All Saints' Church, in Eastwoodbury Lane, has spoken out after the runaway extension plans took another step forward.
Airport bosses have put forward a pre-planning application asking for Southend Council's views on its plans before a formal application is submitted.
As part of the plans Eastwoodbury Lane would be diverted and part of the churchyard wall at St Laurence Church as well as six cottages would be demolished.
Mr Ransom said he wanted to protect the whole of the churchyard and said he had not received clear information from either the airport or the council over what was happening.
When proposals to extend the runway were put forward originally in 2002, it was planned to move the whole of the 1,000-year- old church on rollers, using a technique which has been successfully carried out with historic buildings in other parts of the country.
This plan met with massive opposition from the church and local community and was dropped following negotiations with the Civil Aviation Authority.
As a result Southend Council used money from an Airport Reserve Fund, which came from selling off council-owned land, to install a new landing system and improved barriers across Eastwoodbury Lane.
This meant the church would not have to be moved as part of the expansion plans.
Jan Chambers, 53, has rented one of the cottages off Eastwoodbury Lane which has been earmarked for demolition for 11 years.
She said: "This is a very nice place to live.
"It is very good for walking my dogs and has fields nearby.
"If they decide to go ahead and knock the houses down I will have to find somewhere else to live. It would be difficult finding somewhere like this which lets me have my dogs.
"I would be very disappointed if they decide to go ahead and demolish the houses.
Airport managing director Alastair Welch said: "Many detailed questions have been asked about the airport and the impact it may have in the future, especially if the runway were to be extended.
"To ensure we can give people the answers to questions they are understandably asking, we have brought forward work planned for an environmental impact assessment.
"We are keen to ensure it will provide answers to those areas around which some people have raised concerns.