London is to get another airport with GBP500 million pounds (USD591 million) in funding approved for the redevelopment by 2025 of the closed Manston airport in Kent as a national passenger and airfreight hub to alleviate the overcrowded London airport system and ease truck congestion through the Channel Tunnel to European airports.
Developer RiverOak Strategic Partners Limited (RSP) has received consent from the UK Department of Transport to invest GBP500 million in the airport. Surveys, detailed master planning, and design work would commence in the next few weeks. Construction would begin next year, with the airport expected to operate its first cargo services in early 2025. This followed five years of detailed regulatory scrutiny of its plans [first submitted July 17, 2018], the company said in a statement.
Manston reportedly will join London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, London Luton, London City, London Southend, and London Biggin Hill in being named a London gateway.
The former RAF Manston, close to Ramsgate and Margate on the Channel coast, was repurposed as a commercial airport but closed to air traffic in 2014. The site is located at 54 metres AMSL, and the runway measures 2,752 metres.
The revival plans have been the subject of years of environmental probes and political wrangling. Amongst others, considerations were air quality, archaeology and the historic environment; biodiversity; climate change; ground conditions; visual impact; noise and vibration; socio-economics; traffic impact; and water resources.
Development consent was first granted on July 9, 2020, by the Minister of State for Transport at the time, Andrew Stephenson. But, on February 15, 2021, the UK High Court of Justice quashed the decision. The Secretary of State then conducted a third round of consultations with about 900 representations received by the March 28, 2022 deadline.
On August 18, 2022, the Secretary of State eventually declared a "clear justification for authorising the development" and issued a consent order for the airport's redevelopment.
According to the application, the work will include the following:
- the upgrade of runway 10/28 and re-alignment of the parallel taxiway;
- stands for multiple cargo aircraft;
- installation of new high mast lighting for aprons and stands;
- construction of cargo facilities;
- construction of a new air traffic control tower;
- construction of a new airport fuel farm;
- construction of a new airport rescue and firefighting service station;
- development of the northern grass area for airport-related businesses;
- highway improvement works;
- the extension of passenger service facilities, including an apron extension to accommodate an additional aircraft stand and increasing the current terminal size;
- an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility and end-of-life recycling facilities;
- a flight training school;
- a fixed base operation for executive travel; and
- business facilities for aviation-related organisations.
