Her update says: “Yesterday my solicitors received a letter from the Treasury Solicitor, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, which said “my client has agreed to concede this claim on the basis of ground 1(b), namely that the Secretary of State did not give adequate reasons in his decision letter to enable the reader to understand why he disagreed with the Examining Authority Report on the issue of need for the development of Manston Airport”. Planning Inspectorate Development consent has been given to reopen and develop Manston Airport into a dedicated air freight facility able to … A judge has granted permission for a legal challenge against the government's decision to reopen Manston airport. Supporters of Manston Airport is an organisation founded in August 2014 to support and pursue the re-establishment of Manston Airport as a viable and successful airport. A hearing set for the legal challenge over the government’s decision process in granting permission for the development of Manston airport into an air freight hub will not take place after the Department for Transport/ Secretary of State said the case would not be contested. Manston Airport has been bought by … Home News Manston airport development approval ‘to be quashed’ with decision to be re-examined following challenge bid Manston airport development approval ‘to be quashed’ with decision to be re-examined following challenge bid. This landed 2850 trucks at the English Channel port of Dover, the BBC reported. The air freight market is ripe for an alternative to the overcrowded London airports … RiverOak Strategic Partners bought the … Flight paths: A normal flight path corridor can be up to 14km wide. In South Buckinghamshire DC v Porter [2004] UKHL 33, the House of Lords confirmed that any such reasons must be adequate and intelligible, and enable the reader to understand why the matter was decided as it was and what conclusions were reached on the principal important controversial issues. “The Department of Transport has acknowledged that the Minister of State`s decision letter could have contained more information as to reasons. The airport most recently operated a KLM service to and from Amsterdam, but was closed in 2014. However, if that is the primary motivation for reopening the airport, then it should probably be funded in the same way as NATS - namely that the collection of airlines which use the London airport system should all put some money into the pot S.116 of the 2008 Act and Regulation 30 of the EIA Regulations both impose a duty on the Defendant to give reasons for granting a DCO. We argued that the facts were clear, Manston is located in the wrong part of the UK, has too much competition from established air freight operators and that it would never be able to become a commercially viable  airfreight hub. “We subsequently learned that the Interested Party, RiverOak Strategic Partners Ltd, will not be defending their claim. A new cargo aviation hub at Manston could be open by spring 2022 if the controversial plans are given the green light. Manston became Kent International Airport from 1989, and a new terminal was opened by Sarah, Duchess of York. The decision to grant a development consent order for the scheme against the recommendations of inspectors was officially taken by the transport minister, Andrew Stephenson, with the secretary of state, Grant Shapps, recused to avoid any conflict of interest. “My lawyers set out three grounds of challenge to the decision to grant a Development Consent Order for the re-opening and development of Manston Airport: Ground 2: Breach of Procedural Requirement/Unfairness. To what extent he considered need could not be met in the bellyhold of passenger flights to and from those existing airports. MANSTON AIRPORT: THE FACTS. Since Covid-19 aviation has massively declined meaning another nail in our RSP’s coffin. Words: Laura Edgar. “In the meantime, we continue the CAA airspace change process to determine the future flightpaths for Manston and we have, this week, also reached agreement for Manston to be used as a temporary Customs outpost, until July 2021.”. “Many of us have been of the opinion that this air freight project would never take off. It bought the airport for £1 a year earlier. The deadline for the decision on the proposed reopening and development of Manston Kent International Airport has been extended until May 18, 2020, the UK's Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Transport, Nusrat Ghani, told the country's parliament on January 16.. He has given development content for Manston Airport in Kent to be reopened. It’s important that this is done correctly, in order that Manston can deliver on its full potential, and we welcome the Government’s decision being put on as robust a basis as possible. The Planning Inspectorate has accepted the application for the upgrade and reopening Manston Airport for examination. The Development Consent Order (DCO) for the proposed project was submitted in July 2018 by RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) which plans to operate an air freight business on the airport, with some passenger services as qell. Advertisement Due to the spread of the new, more dangerous, more contagious, and mutated Covid-19 variant in the United Kingdom, France closed its borders to the UK. […] “RSP remains confident in our proposals and of the increasing need for Manston to support the UK’s freight handling capabilities, post-Brexit and to aid the economic recovery from COVID-19. “That being so the Department has conceded these grounds and will no doubt wish to afford all parties the opportunity to make further submissions before re-visiting the DCO and issuing a further and more detailed letter of determination in due course.”. The airport was closed by previous owner Infratril in May 2014. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that by 9am on Boxing Day, all freight drivers had left Manston Airport. Opponents have argued that it is incompatible with emissions targets, and could create a precedent for more expansion. The reopening of Manston airport has been a policy championed by Ukip as well as local Conservative MPs since it closed in 2014. The airport is eyeing reopening to short-haul flights. It’s been a joint effort!”. The deadline for the decision on the proposed reopening and development of Manston Airport extended to 18 May 2020. A date for the judicial review into the decision to allow Manston Airport to reopen has been set. Flights at southeast England's Manston Kent International Airport, which closed in May 2014, may restart by 2022, its new owner RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) has revealed. CARMA (Campaign Against The Reopening of Manston Airport) is asking for transparency on consultations so that all those potentially affected can understand the environmental impact of the airport development. Our proposal is to reopen Manston as a global freight hub, enabling the airport to fulfil its role in helping the UK trade across the globe and to import vital and time-sensitive goods, including fresh fruit and medical supplies. But industry bosses branded the treatment of the stranded truckers 'a disgrace'. Transport minister Andrew Stephenson has granted a development consent order (DCO) for the transformation of Manston Airport, Kent, into an international air freight hub and passenger … France will reopen borders to UK as long as people test negative first. The plans have divided local communities, with some welcoming the promise of additional jobs but others dismayed at the noise and pollution airport expansion will bring. Environmental protesters are launching what they call a 'guerilla' campaign against plans to reopen Manston Airport. We will make additional representations, when invited to do so, with evidence from across the last 18 months (since the DCO examination stage closed) – and look forward to publication of the Secretary of State’s comprehensive assessment of the basis for granting the DCO, early in 2021, so that we may begin works to restore the airport to operational use. Tony Freudmann, director of RSP, said: “Once built, Manston will be one of the most modern, efficient and environmentally friendly freight hubs in the world.”, Sir Roger Gale, the MP for North Thanet, said: “This national asset has been closed for far too long but it can now play a critical role in delivering jobs and investment … Post-Brexit Britain is going to need additional air freight capacity and Manston can offer this swiftly.”, A spokesperson for the local No Night Flights campaign group said there was no evidence that the airport would bring jobs. Enter your email address to subscribe free to The Isle of Thanet News and receive notifications of new posts by email. I can certainly see a reason for Manston being opened as a reserve airport when bad weather appears. The JR bid challenging the approval decision was launched by Ramsgate  Coastal Community Team chairperson Jenny Dawes with a crowdfunder raising some £86,000 in pledges to pay the legal costs. Extinction Rebellion Thanet are putting pop-up banners and posters in … Number of flights: Manston has permission for 64,000 air traffic movements a year, that’s 176 flights a day or approx 10 an hour. However, today Shapps is in the news for a different reason entirely. It is understood that a fresh decision on the development order cannot be issued while the legal process of a JR is taking place. RiverOak Strategic Partners bought Manston Airport, which closed in 2014, and plan to restart short-haul and cargo flights in spring 2023. “The Treasury Solicitor will now draft an order disposing of the case. A decision on the proposed reopening and development of Manston Airport has been delayed, the government has announced. The secretary of state for transport allowed the DCO into whether the former airport in Thanet could reopen as a cargo airport with the potential for future passenger flights in July, to a mixed reaction from both supporters and anti-airport campaigners. As the new owners of the site, RSP will be able to carry out survey work vital to the conclusion of the DCO examination process, with immediate effect. Upon what basis the quantum of anticipated need for freight had been assessed by him. Manston airport closed in 2014 but construction could start to rebuild it next year. BRITS have been barred from entering Sweden and deported from Spain as post-Brexit pettiness sparks “deep concerns”. It simply hasn’t materialised. Summer season charter flights operated by Dan-Air to Palma, Mallorca were introduced on Saturdays, using BAC One-Elevens. According to a report by the BBC , the new owners … “It was utterly cynical of the government to impose a DCO and the cash strapped, hard-pressed people of Ramsgate have had to dig very deep to find  £88,000 to fund a Judicial Review. The order will have to be approved by all parties and submitted to the Court to be sealed – this final step may take several weeks. Cllr Constantine the site should be used to drive economic regeneration through business and training and social housing if an application to develop is made in the future. Closed in 2014 Manston Airport … • Sign up to the daily Business Today email here or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk. “We will be reviewing our options to challenge this and protect our town from this horrible blight.”. Brit residents returning to their homes in Sweden were stopped at pa… “We faced a similar situation two years ago when we withdrew our DCO application, to provide additional information, before successfully resubmitting it for acceptance. RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP), who have long targeted the airport and acquired the site last year, said the £300m project would create more than 23,000 jobs, many of which would be in relatively deprived areas of east Kent. These issues were all addressed in detail in the ExA’s report, but were not mentioned, let alone grappled with, in the Defendant’s perfunctory and dismissive DL. Whether, and if so why, he considered that facilities could not be constructed at those existing airports to meet that quantum of need. “We are incredulous that the secretary of state would override a recommendation from the planning inspectorate,” they said. During the consultation process, Natural England and the Met Office both raised concerns about plans to reopen and upgrade Manston Airport. Manston, UK planning decision deadline extended to mid-2Q20 24.01.2020 - 19:10 UTC. Supporters of Manston Airport aim to encourage the development of an economically sustainable airport … Current proposals reveal over 30 East Kent locations which are at risk of being impacted by Manston’s proposed flightpaths. “Given the facts I think it is misleading of Sir Roger Gale MP to say that the judicial review has hampered the development of the airfreight hub, especially as to-date there’s been no sign of the necessary investment of £300m. Inspectors warned that the plans “will have a material impact on the ability of government to meet its carbon reduction targets, including carbon budgets”, and that climate change was another factor that “weighs against the granting of development consent”. I do wonder if the government should now take full responsibility and refund all of those that contributed to the JR in good faith. Kathy Bailes, a big thanks you for all your fare and balanced news reporting, especially when it comes to the highly emotive Manston Airport matter. Due to these changes of events, the unwelcome drivers were stranded at the port. The site is currently subject to a Development Consent Order (DCO) examination process on proposals by RSP to reopen the airport as a freight hub. A backlog of more than 3,000 lorries stranded in Dover on Christmas Day was finally cleared today after 15,000 truckers were tested for coronavirus. Manston to reopen as UK airfreight hub 13 July 2020 The UK’s Department for Transport has granted permission for Manston Airport in Kent to reopen as an international airfreight hub. Grant Shapps the Transport Minister has been very much in favour of the Manston air freight hub even though the planning inspectors’ clear conclusions were ignored. December 2, 2020 Kathy Bailes News 153 Being as they know from outset this was the project was doomed to failure. In addition a huge number of people objected to living under a flight path. It is understood this means the DCO approval for Manston airport will be quashed – a process expected within a three week timespan – and a new decision will need to be issued after a re-examination of the Planning Inspectorate evidence. “This update is couched in very formal language but I’m enormously relieved to have got this far and bowled over by all the support I’ve received. A statement from North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale, who has backed the airport plan, says: ““=The future of Manston Airport has been subjected to further delay in the light of the application for Judicial Review. Manston Airport to reopen following DCO approval. County Councillor Karen Constantine said: “First we had the Chris Grayling’s ferry fiasco at the Port of Ramsgate and now we have yet another U-turn by Conservatives. The airport in Kent could open by 2023, handling up to 10,000 cargo flights a year as well as passenger services, with construction starting as early as next year. I respect that you have never taken sides and have always given a fair crack of the whip to those, for and against, the reopening of the Manston Airport site. Owner RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) said it was “delighted” to have its application for a … The UK’s Planning inspectorate confirmed that it had received a pre-application inquiry from RiverOak in early January. A statement by RiverOak Strategic Partners says: “Naturally the Department for Transport’s decision not to contest the Judicial Review is disappointing, although it may in fact save time. Stone Hill Park originally planned to develop the site into 4,000 homes, a business park, country park and sports village, as well as retaining some of the airport as a heritage runway. An additional 70 toilets are arriving at Manston airport in Kent to be reopened … Manston airport Kent. Be disposed of after a letter from the Treasury said the case Ltd will... 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