Manston Airport: High Court throws out freight hub plan

  • Published
Manston AirportImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Manston Airport is currently being used as a lorry park under post-Brexit measures

A government decision to develop Manston Airport into a global freight hub has been quashed by the High Court.

Mr Justice Holgate approved a judgement on Monday after a judicial review was launched by campaigner Jennifer Dawes.

The transport secretary had agreed in July to the redevelopment of the former Battle of Britain airfield in Kent.

Airport owners RiverOak said the order to allow the judicial review was agreed by "all parties" to "require the decision to be re-taken".

Campaigners, who posted the judgement on CrowdJustice, external, had described the Manston development as a "highly-polluting cargo hub" that went against the government's planning advice in the face of air pollution and climate change.

Last year, it was claimed that the development, for which RiverOak had committed to investing £300m, would lead to the creation of more than 23,000 jobs.

Manston Airport

The judgement approves a court decision set out last year - when the Department for Transport (DfT) said it would not contest the case and RiverOak said it would not defend the claim.

Manston is currently being used a temporary lorry park and customs control area as part of post-Brexit measures.

A statement from RiverOak said the High Court had allowed the judicial review on the grounds that the transport secretary did not give adequate reasons for his decision.

It said: "The effect of the order made today is only to require the decision to be re-taken following a further representation period, it does not reverse any earlier stages of the process.

"The Secretary of State is likely to explain the reasons for his decision in more detail this time round."

A spokeswoman for the DfT said: "We take on board the court's decision and the application will now need to be reconsidered."

As the case would be redetermined, the department could not comment further, she said.

The post-Brexit use of the site as a lorry park was a separate issue and not impacted by the proposed airport development, she added.

Related topics

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.