The airport in east Kent closed in May 2014 and its future use has been a long-running debate between redeveloping the site or reopening it as a cargo airport.
US investors, RiverOak Investments has been behind efforts to reopen the airport, forming RiverOak Strategic Partners in 2016 to manage its interests in the project.
It plans to invest up to £500m in reopening Manston as a cargo airport, saying it will provide much needed capacity in the south east, alleviating overcrowding at London airports and easing road congestion caused by freight travelling to European airports.
RiverOak says that surveys, detailed master planning and design work will start in the next few weeks, with construction beginning next year ready for the start of cargo services in early 2025.
Tony Freudmann, Director of RiverOak Strategic Partners, says, “I would like to pay tribute to the extraordinary army of Manston Airport supporters who have never given up hope of seeing new life breathed into this historic aviation asset. And I would also like to thank our two dedicated local MPs, Sir Roger Gale and Craig Mackinlay, as well as the thousands of supporters who have supported us from the start of the DCO process and have long shared our bold and ambitious vision for the airport.”
The DCO covers upgrading the runway and taxiway, constructing stands for cargo aircraft, cargo facilities, apron and stand lighting, a new control tower, a new airport fuel farm, an airport and firefighting service station, highway improvement works, extended passenger service facilities, aircraft MRO facilities, a flight training school, a fixed base operation for executive travel, and business facilities for aviation-related organisations.
The decision to grant the DCO was granted by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Karl McCarthy because the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, was deemed to have conflicts of interest due to statements he had made prior to his appointment but the decision was issued in his name.