Scheduled night flights have been sugested for Manston Airport

Plans for night flights at Manston airport have suffered a big setback after councillors voted against the idea.

Cabinet members of Thanet District Council had already said they would not support the bid by Kent International Airport.

However, a full council meeting last night formally opposed the idea of night flights.

Manston wants some planes taking off and landing between 11pm and 7am.

Scheduled night flights were suggested at the airport to help increase air capacity.

But councillors decided the proposed scheduled flights would be too noisy and have too great an environmental impact.

A consultation found three quarters of people living nearby also did not want night flights.

Charles Buchanan, chief executive of Manston Airport, said: “We are clearly very disappointed by this stance as it is completely inconsistent with the council’s stated policy to support the airport’s success as a creator of thousands of much needed jobs.

“The position the council adopted last night is also in sharp contrast to its leader Clive Hart’s stated assertion of ‘the council’s recognition of Manston Airport as an economic asset to Thanet’."

He added: “Ironically at a time when the government is recognising the role that Manston could play a part in supporting the south east, by making use of existing under-utilised runway capacity, Thanet is apparently rejecting the opportunity to build its economy and create thousands of jobs.

“The immediate conclusion is that despite the council’s stated support for the airport, the leadership has refused to recognise the operational flexibility that its own expert identifies as being necessary for that success. One can only guess why they have chosen such a course and put at risk one of the engines for the long term prosperity of Thanet.

“We will now obviously consider the council’s response before providing them, as a consultee on night-flights, with a reasoned reply in due course."