A new six-storey hotel has been approved for Southend Airport, after bosses won an appeal. The airport made the appeal to the Secretary of State earlier this year, after Southend Council refused the planning application, due to traffic concerns, including parking, safety and flow of traffic.

The plans show the hotel being erected on the site of what is currently a staff car park to the north of Eastwoodbury Crescent, near the Holiday Inn. The hotel will also incorporate car and cycle parking.

The approval follows the departure of both Ryanair and EasyJet from the airport, in the wake of the pandemic. Glyn Jones, CEO of Southend Airport, said: “We are pleased with the planning inspectorate’s decision and will now review our options going forward.”

The hotel will form the first phase of a masterplan comprised of three hotels, comprised of 170 rooms, a restaurant, bar and health club. It will also begin to accommodate the need for short stay accommodation at the airport as a result of passenger growth in recent years.

Aros Architects, the firm behind the scheme, also hope that the design of the scheme will help raise the quality of the arrivals experience at the airport, whilst having a positive impact on Southend and the surrounding areas.

Image source- Aros Architects

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