Lembit Opik’s Sunday discussion programme on BBC Radio Kent today (8th January 2017)
Manston Airport was the subject of another of Lembit Opik’s discussion programmes on BBC Radio Kent today.
In it, Cllr Chris Wells explains the situation that the Council finds itself in, needing credible business plans, guaranteed funding and sufficient evidence to satisfy the public interest test to be able to pursue the return of an airport at Manston. There are also several comments by the public to the debate, all positive for the airport and supporting the suggestions that it would benefit the south east runway capacity issue.
From the three hour show, we have extracted the items connected to Manston for you to listen here:
However, if you wish to listen to the other debates including Dreamland, Brexit and prison policy, it is currently available on iPlayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04lwtwq#play
I see that you have published my long conversation with Lembit Opek on his radio program about Manston,
Here is a resume of the plan I outlined (you can hear it in full on the programme above).
The council are like Gods. They have the power to accept or refuse planning permission. As Manston IS an airport — it is not a field — the council should do their duty to refuse any planning permission that is not aviation-related.
If the present owner is willing to submit an aviation related project for planning permission, fair enough. It they are not willing. then a CPO should be issued.
Then the airport should be sold piecemeal, starting with land to the north of the runway for an aviation-related business and housing estate. I personally have had considerable experience in creating residential airparks. That could be done easily and quickly, already paying off much of the CPO purchase price. There is no immediate need for even a control tower at this stage. It can operate cheaply as an unlicensed aerodrome.
Part of the airport could be sold to Riveroak and/or other companies for freight, maintenance and breakerage. Other activities, search and rescue, border force, flying training etc could be housed… and
…FINALLY, only then when it is a hive of activity, would a real need for passenger services be felt and the passenger terminal could be reopened and could at last be profitable.