Written statement to Parliament

Manston Airport planning decision deadline extended

The deadline for the decision on the proposed reopening and development of Manston Airport extended to 18 May 2020.

Nusrat Ghani MP

I have been asked by my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State, to make this Written Ministerial Statement. This statement concerns the application made by RiverOak Strategic Partners Ltd (‘the Applicant’) under the Planning Act 2008, of 17 July 2018 for the proposed reopening and development of Manston Airport in Kent.

Under sub-section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his decision within 3 months of receipt of the Examining Authority’s report unless exercising the power under sub-section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a Statement to the House of Parliament announcing the new deadline. The Secretary of State received the Examining Authority’s report on the Manston Airport Development Consent Order application on 18 October 2019 and the current deadline for a decision is 18 January 2020.

The deadline for the decision is to be extended to 18 May 2020 (an extension of 4 months) to enable further information on a range of issues to be provided by the Applicant and other Interested Parties before determination of the application by the Secretary of State.

The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to give development consent.

Published 16 January 2020