Angela Schembri, Planning Director of RiverOak Strategic Partners’ planning consultant, RPS, said: “RiverOak Strategic Partners continues to believe that Thanet’s revisions to the local plan are inconsistent with national planning policy, are not based on an objective assessment of development and infrastructure requirements – and are therefore neither justified, nor likely to be effective. There is still no firm evidence that demonstrates that land at Manston Airport needs to be should be made available for any non-aviation uses and especially not for housing. It is still early days in the Local Plan process and there are still significant objections that need to be addressed. Our view remains that Manston is an aviation infrastructure asset and, as our Development Consent Order application will evidence, that there is a need and national planning policy support to retain it for aviation uses which would support thousands of jobs, grow the local economy and promote inward investment to achieve greater economic prosperity for the area consistent with local growth strategies.

“We also find it curious that the TDC officers, in their report to Cabinet, have chosen not to report any of the very important findings of the July 2017 appeal decision where the Planning Inspectorate dismissed SHP’s attempts to secure non-aviation uses at the airport because this would be contrary to national aviation policy and local planning policy. The Inspector concluded that the possibility of the airport site being used as an airport in the future could not be ruled out. He also stated that little weight could be attached to the emerging policy because there are various outstanding objections and polices might change. The appeal decision is material to the Local Plan process yet TDC officers have ignored it.”