Manston DCO Aug2018

Manston Airport – MP Welcomes Planning Inspectorate decision as “ A First Step”

August 15th 2018

North Thanet`s MP Sir Roger Gale has today (Tuesday ) welcomed the Planning Inspectorate`s decision to accept the application for a Development Consent Order for Manston (Kent) Airport as “a first but very significant step in the right direction”

Speaking this evening Sir Roger said:

“This means that Manston has been accepted as a site of nationally important infrastructure.

That is what those of us who have recognised the post-Brexit strategic value of Manston have been saying for some time: we are desperately short of runway capacity in the South East and Manston offers a literally unique opportunity to provide freight and passenger capacity.

I would like to immediately pay tribute to those, the RiverOak Strategic Partnership, the new administration of Thanet Council and those overwhelming numbers of local people who have, in the teeth of ridicule and vilification, held to the long-term vision for Manston Airport and recognised the national rather than the short-term commercial interest in using this essential national asset for its proper purpose.

We have a long way to go: the pubic examination will, rightly, be rigorous and significant investment will be required to restore and expand the airport to meet the national demand and to make the airfield commercially viable but we are on our way. Now the real work begins”