8 May 2017
For years Manston Airport on the Kent coast was a forgotten backwater. Now it’s hot property with three developers looking to make something of the site.
Just before this month’s local elections, a US logistics company looking for a base for 12 aircraft was reported to have expressed an interest in re-opening the airport.
Spokesman for the investment group, Dale Crawford, said, “There is a clear commercial need for additional airport capacity in the south-east. Compared to all the difficulties involved in building extra runways at Gatwick or Heathrow, Manston offers some clear advantages to ambitious operators looking for a speedy solution to their logistical needs”.
Local business leader David Foley, of the Thanet & East Kent Chamber of Commerce, said, “Mr Crawford has contacted the Chamber with an outline of his plans. We understand that over £100 million is available for investment.”
Meanwhile, a different US company, RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP), which also wants to re-open Manston as a air freight hub, will open a public consultation starting on Monday, 12 June.
“The consultation will last for six weeks and will close on Sunday 23 July,” said the company.
“During the consultation, copies of the proposed airport masterplan, detailed research reports into the demand for Manston as an airport, the economic and social impact of reviving the airport and the Preliminary Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) will all be available for inspection and comment.
“The consultation is an opportunity for members of the public to scrutinise our proposals and suggest any changes to them. RiverOak Strategic Partners is also keen to hear any ideas about how to maximise the benefits to the region from reopening Manston Airport.”
RSP’s bid is backed by local MP Sir Roger Gale, who is standing again in June’s General Election. He said, ” I have fought for the future of Manston Airport for the best part of 25years and I shall continue to do so. Manston is a national asset that must, in the interests of Great Britain Limited, be re-opened as swiftly as possible.
“The demand for air-freight capacity is growing annually and as Britain develops the new markets that we will need to survive and prosper post-Brexit that demand, particularly in the South East, will be greater still.”
This is the Stone Hill Park plan for Manston with homes and businesses on the airport site. Top: Manston Airport has a huge runway capable of handling airliners and freighters. Photo: James Stewart
However, the UK company which owns the Manston site, closed as an airport in 2014, Stone Hill Park, has submitted its own masterplan for 2,500 homes, a manufacturing focused business park, sports and recreational facilities, with the former runway becoming the focal point for a network of parkland, trails and outdoor space, and a ‘heritage hub’ at the site.
Campaigner groups:
Save Manston Airport
Supporters of Manston Airport
14 comments
Please go to the Save Manston Airport association web page to learn much more :
http://www.savemanstonairport.org.uk
Facebook Group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/savemanstonairportassociation/ http://bit.ly/SMAa_group
This group has done nothing but ignore the wishes of Ramsgate residents. Most members of this group are not from an area that would be affected by an airport opening. They dont live on the flight path. In fact some of them dont even live in Thanet. Its time someone listened to the people of Ramsgate. We’re tired of being overlooked and ignored and its time to move on with the mixed use plans and get started on developing something the whole area can benefit from. Stop wasting Local time and money as everyone knows that the airport never was and never will be viable! Peaceful skies, unpoluted air, cafe bars with quiet outdoor areas with great views, unspoilt by noisy, smelly cargo planes every 8 minutes. Lets keep Ramsgate moving forward. Tourism is flourishing and the summer is coming. Lets not ruin a town for the sake of a handful of people (on the scheme of things) who like plane spotting more than they care for the wellbeing of a town and its residents. This isnt just about Ramsgate either. There is Herne Bay and all the surrounding areas to think of too. The majority of thanet does not want an airport. This group will scaremonger you, unsing threats of houses being built like its a bad thing. Lies upon lies about undesirables living on your doorstep. I know what’s undesirable… A great big stinking cargo airport with hundreds of lorries day and night, that’s what!
“The majority of thanet does not want an airport”
Are there really any real statistics to support that statement because I struggle to come across people that want 2,500 houses out there and last time out the ‘majority’ voted for a council that said they would bring an airport back.
I rest my case. a pro supporter proving me more than right. the first words he write are about 2500 houses lmao. Honestly its like a broken record. houses are coming to thanet whether you want them or not… and not just 2500 but several thousand more over the next decade. Manston hold the key to the best location for these houses. With infrastructure to help support them too, as well as plenty of other business use and new facilities not just for the new estate residents, but for us too. It’s a new exciting aproach rather than digging up the past to try and get yet another failed airport venture off the ground at Manston. It’s not viable, houses are needed, people will fill them and add to the wealth of the local area. JOBS will be created, and many more than the small handful of jobs an airport would create. They all said they would bring the airport back lol its called a lie. Politicians tell them to get people to vote for them. Where is the last person now who said he’d get the airport running again if you voted him in? Chris Wells has seen the light… it just remains for a small group of plane spotters to see it too. your numbers dont stack up either. Where are your 10000 supporters when you rally the site? i count a couple of dozen at best. It’ll take more than a few flags and struck off solicitor to convince me the airport should reopen… youre all getting the wool well and truly pulled over your eyes too. What do you think TF will say about houses if he aquires the site? honestly look at the man… Trust him?
You laugh your a*** off all you want, doesn’t worry me. I didn’t express any opinion on the airport coming back I merely asked for a source behind your comment that the majority of people don’t want it.
The amount of people who attended the night flight debacle was and still is significantly higher than the one i attended when the SMA organised theirs. It was frightening to see OAP’s being positively evil against the resident’s of Ramsgate and being supported by MP’s who should know better. Ramsgate has also bore the brunt of a dodgy LGA when they dealt with the all the past Aviation owners. So can i be the source that puts that issue to bed and being on the MACC and KIACC for a good while i know what went on and its not good! Ms Cheek your view is a prime example of how people do not know what went on.
Funny enough the same party was elected to KCc at the previous elections when manston was open, so hardly conclusive. Also Ramsgate as just returned a Labour councillor who is against the reopening of manston ahead of a pro manston conservative councillor
Sorry, Thanet does want the airport. The election was won on the promise for the airport. I can understand the concerns of some people in Ramsgate, but the fact remains airports if well run bring economic prosperity, and Manston was badly run before.untill the KLM service to Schiphol which brought a glimmer before Mrs Gloag snuffed it out. Vast housing in a place where there is little work will only bring ghettos of poverty. Bring the work first and housing will follow , not the other way round.When the airport is here again the businesses will come.This lack of care for the provinces by central government both left and right is one of the main reasons people voted for Brexit The Manston fight is so important for Thanet as Thanet has a right to prosper as much as London does, That in it’s own way.Thanet is not a place to push people out of London. Beside this the Westwood Cross type developments.are hideous and have nothing to do with our unique historic seaside towns and villages.Well done all the airport supporters groups. It just goes to show what can be done from the people up
I can assure you 50,000 residents in Ramsgate do not want a 24/7 freight hub on their door step,why do they not do an independant proper survey and ask them ? who wants to lose their right to a nights sleep, their quality of life, for air pollution, disruptioin of childrens schools, and roads full of HGVs and the inevitable devaluation of property. If Manston was a national asset why did the government dipose of it, ever since then it has lost money hand over fist,and the captain at the helm is the same one who is at the helm now, so on the rocks before it starts. Let Stone Hill Park get on with their plans it will do our area far more good than a freight hub, more chance of succeding and will employ far more people in far better jobs.
For all up to date coverage and information about Manston Airport –
Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/supportmanstonairport/
Website: http://www.supportmanstonairport.org/
Twitter: @savemanston
Carry on Ruth.ans all at SuMA Well done
If you want to know as to why an airport has failed for over 2 decades and is due to fail again go to:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/143845528678/
or
https://www.facebook.com/manstonpickle/
I see the Aviation at any cost club is active again. This ex RAF airport has been built up as being the sole surviving and longest/widest oldest one in the world. The news is, that its in the wrong place – and the costs to even bring it up to industry standards [without the past shortcuts by the CAA and TDC] effectively means that no one will ever make a profit. Its time to move on as an alternate use site.
I can only echo what Malcolm, Ronald and John have already stated, which is well supported by the links provided by Ineke.
Prospective Councillors have more than one issue on their personal manifesto, so it is foolish to believe any one person voted in, was done so on the strength of supporting an airport alone.