THE pruning of trees in the flightpath of Southend Airport has caused concerns about low-flying aircraft.

Trees in the council-owned Millennium Park, next to the Cottage Nursery, Prince Avenue, Westcliff, near Exford Avenue, have been cut back.

Airport bosses say because the trees could obstruct planes, it is a legal requirement for the work to be carried out by council workmen.

Councillors and residents are worried it suggests planes will fly low over the densely-populated homes in Eastwood, Leigh and Westcliff.

However, airport bosses have said there is nothing to worry about.

Prittlewell ward’s Lib Dem councillor Ric Morgan said: “It does seem a little bit mysterious.

“If they’re trimming trees it does suggest the planes will be pretty low over the houses.”

Mr Morgan also said he was annoyed not to have been notified about the work, but a council spokesman said it is not standard practice to inform ward councillors if trees are pruned.

Resident Tony Hall, from Westcliff, said: “This beggars belief.

“The trees in the park are at the most 20ft high and the oaks are over a 100 years old.

“Is this another case of the council falling over backwards for Stobart?”

An airport spokeswoman said all airports are legally required by the Civil Aviation Authority to address any “obstacles that infringe the safeguarded surfaces”.

He added: “These surfaces must be protected to maintain the safe operation of aircraft.

“We periodically review infringements and where trees have grown to become infringements, they are trimmed.

“This practice is carried out at every licensed aerodrome, including Southend.”

As part of the lease arrangement, agreed between the airport and landowners Southend Council in March, planes landing and taking off will be directed over Rochford, in the opposite direction from Southend, between the hours of 11pm and 6.30am.

But this restriction will not apply to day flights.

The spokeswoman added that any planes coming from the Southend direction will follow a new, steeper approach angle, which is being introduced when the runway is extended to avoid disturbing neighbours.

The rapidly-expanding airport has just signed a landmark deal, as revealed in the Echo, with easyJet, which will see the company carry 800,000 passengers from Southend in its first year.

Bosses hope to eventually cater for two million passengers a year by 2020.