Manston Airport 'very unlikely' to be financially viable

Manston Airport closed in May 2014 with the loss of 150 jobs

An airport at Manston in Kent is "very unlikely" to be financially viable in the long term, a report has concluded.

It would "almost certainly" not be successful in the period to 2031, aviation experts AviaSolutions added.

The viability report was carried out for Thanet District Council as part of evidence required for its Local Plan.

Council leader Chris Wells said he was "saddened" for campaigners and the wider community in Thanet.

The UKIP-led council had previously said it was "absolutely committed" to reopening the airport.

Manston was closed in May 2014 and its enthusiasts have fiercely opposed plans to redevelop it for other uses.

'Reneging on promise'

Mr Wells said they had been betrayed by North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale and US investment firm RiverOak for failing "to produce a business case to back their grand assertions".

But Sir Roger said his comments were "a thinly-veiled exercise to get UKIP off the hook for reneging on an election promise".

Craig Mackinlay, Conservative MP for South Thanet, called for Mr Wells to resign over the issue.

"Saving Manston as an airport was well within the grasp of this administration through a compulsory purchase order," he said.

In response, Mr Wells said there was "no reason" for him to resign.

Manston's supporters have fought hard to reopen the airport

"[Mr Mackinlay] needs to read the report and understand what it says before he starts being silly," he said.

The report said the scenario which most supported Manston's re-opening plan was one in which no new runways were built in the South East, in the period to 2050.

But it said the success of that scenario was still of "low probability" and building a new runway in the region would have a "considerable" impact on business.

Mr Wells was strongly criticised when the council voted against a plan by Riveroak to buy out the airport in October 2015.

Critics said the decision - which followed legal advice - broke a key UKIP election pledge.

RiverOak has since applied for a Development Consent Order (DCO) on the basis the airport is "a project of national significance".

The site's owners, Trevor Cartner and Chris Musgrave, have always maintained they will fight any compulsory purchase attempt.

The long-running battle for Manston

May 2014 - Airport closes with loss of 150 jobs

September 2014 - Site sold to Trevor Cartner and Chris Musgrave for manufacturing and homes

March 2015 - Transport Select Committee tells Ann Gloag to reveal details of sale

June 2015 - Cartner and Musgrave reveal £1bn development plan for "Stone Hill Park"

October 2015 - TDC rejects purchase plans, decides Riveroak is not suitable indemnity partner

Dec 2015 - Riveroak announces plan to bypass council and apply for Development Consent Order

July 2016 - Planning Inspectorate announces public inquiry into "change of use" plans