FED-UP residents say they have had enough of sleepless nights and constant disruption from a firm based at Southend Airport.

Air Livery Limited, who have a unit at the edge of Southend Airport, have come under criticism from nearby residents over the constant noise coming from the site.

The firm, which repaints planes, moved to the side of the airport closest to Wells Avenue, after a fire in its previous site on the other side last year.

Air Livery is currently applying for retrospective planning and licensing permission from Rochford Council to be based on the site.

The unit is in very close proximity to residents’ gardens on Wells Avenue, and has resulted in criticism from both councillors and residents.

Alex Carr, of Wells Crescent, said: “There has been constant extractor noise coming from the chimneys.

“The noise prevented me from sleeping in my bedroom for February 3 until February 8, the constant drone 24/7 was unbearable. This has affected my health and wellbeing which I have had to inform my employers of.

“Furthermore an unacceptable level of level of fumes have been experienced by ourselves and residents, which has heightened concerns of Air Livery’s presence only a few feet away from housing.

“Whilst Air Livery obviously need to be based at an airport, their premises should be located on the north side of the airport to prevent danger and unacceptable noise to residents. “

The three St Laurence Ward councillors, Mark Flewitt, David McGlone and Steve Buckley, have written a letter of objection to Rochford Council.

In the letter they point towards constant noise nuisance and visual impact making residents’ gardens unusable, as well as the “noxious fumes”

The councillors state the most practical approach would be to implement the same licence that exists at the company’s other site in Manchester. The licence states there should be no offensive odours and a daily assessment detecting airborne substances.

A Southend Airport spokesman said: “Hanger 6 on the London Southend Airport site has been used by aviation maintenance businesses since the 1960’s.

“Air Livery has recently returned to this hanger – where it had previously been based for many years - from the building on the other side of the airfield which they had been operating from.

“They are now working with the local authorities to ensure all the relevant planning and environmental permissions are in place.”