RiverOak responds to inaccurate ‘No Night Flights’ allegations

Sep 6, 2016 | Media statement

On Kent Online today (6 September 2016), the No Night Flights campaign suggests, among other allegations, that our plan is for: “the UK’s biggest dedicated cargo airport and a huge industrial estate on what is now undeveloped land” that will “do nothing for the heritage of the site, nothing for the environment and nothing for the future prosperity or quality of life of local residents.”

There are numerous inaccuracies in this article and we’d like to set the record straight.

Firstly, Manston is hardly “undeveloped land”. Until 2014 it was an operational airport and reviving Manston as an air freight hub makes the best possible use of an important aviation resource. Our proposals fit with national and local planning policy, deliver what the aviation market is telling us it needs and is the model that will create the greatest jobs and prosperity for the region.

Secondly, the history of Manston is part of what makes the site so special and we have included a museum quarter in our plans to ensure we protect and promote Manston’s important heritage.
Thirdly, as we have said previously, the reference in our Environmental Scoping document to 18 night flights (highlighted in the article by No Night Flights) relates solely to the accepted methodology for assessing the significance of noise disturbance at night and not to any plans that we have for Manston Airport. It is frustrating to see this method statement being so willfully misused, causing unnecessary alarm to some members of the local community.

RiverOak understands that the reintroduction of airport operations is of concern to some residents and we remain committed to being absolutely transparent at every stage of the DCO process to enable the community in East Kent to make informed decisions on our proposals. Indeed, it is for this reason that our environmental studies will be so thorough and will be published for consultation, along with all other aspects of our proposals, as soon as they are ready.

We are working hard with our professional team to complete the development and testing of our plans, as well as the detailed assessment of their potential environmental impact, before we reveal our them in full and we suggest to No Night Flights that it is upon these detailed plans that their conclusions should be drawn.