What did I say yesterday about opinions being dressed up as facts?
PitR's (quite)
If you took the time to look at the Type A and ICAO Aerodrome Charts you would see that the 24 threshold lies some 900' from the railwayline, so you're estimation is only out by a factor of eight. Equally, on 06 the ASDA stops at the 24 threshold so there is a distance of 800' of pavement beyond that. The runway length of 6,000' itself has no greater safety implications than does, say, that at LTN because at any airfield there will be ops which require the full available length, whether it be 5,000' or 10,000', because of larger aircraft being operated from the longer runways. What you are describing as 'runway' is in fact the end of the paved RESA, which few airfileds have (it usually being grass), and your first paragraph is utter rubbish.
The other airfield operational notes you quote are correct and everyone knows about the church and its infringement of the runway strip. Can you quote me any airline that, having carried out its safety assessment for SEN, has declined to operate there? I understand that Monarch, for example, have carried out detailed studies for SEN for both ops and diversions and found it commercially viable for the A320 to Mediterranean destinations
The width of taxiway C has no implications for operational safety and is I believe to be widened in due course. A Control Zone has been applied for, the fact being that you cannot apply until you can demonstrate that the volume and mix of traffic merits one.
Regarding your suggestion that SEN was considered a "legacy airport" by the CAA, that is not correct. Had they not extended the runway that may have been the case but doing so meant that a completely new safety case had to be presented and that was very thoroughly examined by the CAA before being approved. Now if you were talking about LTN having a very short RESA (only the ICAO minimum) with steeply sloping land beyond it, then that is a case of "legacy airport" status prevailing as no such arrangement would be likely to be allowed today for an extended runway. I assume you are not also suggesting that LTN ".... is a marginal airport when it comes to safety"?
I'm off on holiday today to forget about all things aviation for a while so happy posting to you all. When I get back I look forward to working with the next operator who has serious plans for SEN.