Rochford District Council has to be seen to go through 'due process', after all it is an elected public authority.
Southend is a small but significant player in the planned runway
capacity requirement within the South East. I do not think that the
Government would allow it's future to be completely compromised
by local politics.
However RAL does have a growing credibility problem locally and perhaps
within the industry. Having fought hard to obtain planning permission for
a new terminal and railway station, made the necessary CAA RESA
modifications, and publically forecast the announcement of new scheduled
services, little seems to have happened.
The runway length is a constraint, but no more than Guernsey, or London
City, both of which operate very commercially within their limitations.
Let us hope that some positive news will be forthcoming to add
to the successful Ford operation.