Southend Airport bosses have allayed some fears over radical plans to shift historic St Laurence's Church, warden Richard Huband said today.

He attended a presentation between church leaders and airport bosses over the ambitious £6m blueprint to boost Southend as a gateway to tourist destinatinations.

The church, in Eastwoodbury Lane, would have to be moved around 100 metres as a result of creating new safety measures at the airport.

Mr Huband insisted the idea of moving the church was still in the melting pot, despite opposition.

He said: "The airport people gave a very good explanation of what they are aiming at. It helped to clarify the issue and reassured them there would be no disturbance to the graves. I think previously there was talk of bodies being dug up, but that's not the case at all.

"A lot of technical matters were cleared up, and they talked about how they would actually move the building, so it's the question of whether to move this holy symbol of the faith.

"The next step is that the church will have its annual general meeting on March 17 where it will be discussed."

It could cost up to £2m and take a year to move the church 100 metres from the end of the airport runway. Experts would dig beneath the church walls and install reinforced concrete beams at foundation level. This is believed to be the most difficult task. Hydraulic jacks would be used to lift up the 2,000 tonne church and put it on to rollers to move it delicately 100 metres

Published Tuesday January 15, 2002