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Manston night-flights consultation behind schedule
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Kent International Airport
Thanet council’s night-flights consultation process is running more than a month behind schedule.

Authority officials said they would begin the consultation process in October, but it has yet to start.

No contractor has been appointed and tenders are still only being evaluated.

In August, Kent International Airport’s operator, New Zealand-based firm Infratil, put in an application to begin night flights.

The council immediately announced a full 12-week consultation would be carried out, with the start date scheduled for October.

However, the planned drop-in sessions, road shows and surveys designed to let the isle’s residents have their say have yet to materialise.

A council spokeswoman said: “The council has to appoint contractors in line with certain rules to ensure best value and that the public interest is achieved and protected.

“Tenders have been returned for the public consultation work on the airport consultation.

“The tenders are being evaluated and will be reported to the council’s airport working party before an appointment is made.

“The consultation can only begin after this process.”

Richard Nicholson, a former leader of the council and current member of the working party, said:

“It is important it is done properly and we are still waiting to see what proposals come forward.

“There were people at the council who thought this would be a formality, but it is a lot more than that.”

Cllr Nicholson, who represents Newington ward in Ramsgate, which would be one of the wards most affected by planes flying overhead at night, speculated that the process could now begin in January.

If the application is approved, planes will be allowed to land and take off between 6am and 11.30pm, one hour earlier and half-an-hour later than the current Section 106 between the council and the airport agreement permits.

The cost of the process could cost as much as £80,000, a sum that has already been approved by councillors.

The council last week announced it would need to find savings of £5.9 million over the next five years, with £1.8m of that being saved next year.
POSTED: 18/11/2009 10:48:29

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Comments:
Added: Friday 20/11/2009 15:39:21 UK
This airport sucks, unless of course you are a banana or want fly around in circles.
Haz, Ramsgate, Kent
Added: Thursday 19/11/2009 09:25:50 UK
Congratulations on incorrectly reporting the night flights proposal again.

Manston owners Infratil have specifically asked for two things;

An extension to current daytime operating hours by one hour in the morning, 30 mins in the evening;

A night time flying quota for the remaining six and a half hours which will allow them to schedule 747's to land and take off at 3am if they so wish.


steve higgins, ramsgate, kent
Added: Wednesday 18/11/2009 21:58:54 UK
If you don't want night flights, do what I did and sign the online petition at www.nonightflights.tk
Phil Rose, Herne Bay, Kent
Added: Wednesday 18/11/2009 13:37:48 UK
give manston a chance ,all this messing about is enough to make them through in the towel.they have invested a lot of money in the airport, and still investing, close this airport and what a mess this town will be in.
vincer, margate, kent
Added: Wednesday 18/11/2009 13:15:00 UK
It's important to make clear that this is not just an application for an extension to night flying hours. They also want to introduce a quota system for flying throughout the night. This would mean planes as big as 747s overflying Ramsgate at ANY time of the night, not just the hours mentioned in your article.
Richard Eastcliff, Ramsgate, Kent
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