Save Manston Airport Chairman disregards report which grounds plans to reopen it

The campaign group aiming to revive the Manston Airport has snubbed the expert report that deemed it commercially unviable.

The Chairman of the Save Manston Airport Association Dr Beau Webber said the report is “flawed”.

He explained: “It assumes that Manston Airport will be re-opened at about the same level as it was when it closed, that no more than £50 million will be invested, and that the main business will be passenger flights – RiverOak know that they have to start with cargo flights, to be financially viable, and are planning on investing about £300 million to make sure it succeeds.”

The US firm RiverOak has been fighting to buy the airport from the current owners who want to develop homes and businesses instead.

Avia Solutions, who conducted the report commissioned by Thanet District Council, has concluded that if reopened, the Manston Airport would be doomed by recent plans to put new runways on airports around London into operation.

The report is a major blow for the efforts to reopen the airport, as the council will formally scrap the plans.

Dr Beau Webber added that this Manston would be an airport with a high level of local support.

“Save Manston Airport association believe Manston is viable as an airport, but needs the right business plan coupled with huge investment. We believe that RiverOak have both and that a Development Consent Order to place Manston as a Nationally Strategically Important Airport will be successful.”