Manston Airport in Kent could reopen by 2029 after RiverOak Strategic Partners purchased the site for £16.5 million. The airport, which has been abandoned since its last flight departed in 2014, will initially operate for cargo purposes, with commercial flights expected to follow after a £750 million renovation.
Public consultation on flight paths
A recent public consultation gave local residents the opportunity to share their views on proposed flight paths and airspace redesign. Tony Freudmann from RiverOak Strategic Partners said: “This consultation is an important step in our ambition to reopen Manston Airport, representing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver new runway capacity to support the UK air cargo market and to transform the economic landscape in Kent.”
Economic and logistical benefits
Freudmann added: “Once reopened, Manston will help the UK trade across the globe, importing vital and time-sensitive goods, including fresh fruit and medical supplies, providing air freight operators with a realistic alternative to the overcrowded London airports. It will ease the considerable road congestion caused by lorries carrying freight through the Channel Tunnel to European airports and improve resilience and boost economic growth and jobs in Kent.”
Historical significance
Manston Airport first opened in 1916 as a Royal Air Force base. During World War I, it was the only airfield in the UK with underground hangars to protect aircraft. It became a commercial airport in the 1960s, renamed Kent International Airport, but officially closed in 2014 due to massive financial losses. The site has since been used as a filming location and lorry park during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unique runway and facilities
The airport is notable for its exceptionally long and wide runway, built as an emergency landing spot for damaged bombers during World War II. It also features three air traffic control towers. The renovation aims to restore the airport to full operational status, providing a new hub for air cargo and potentially passenger services.
