DCO - Development Consent Order
The Manston Airport Development Consent Order 2022 was granted on the 18th August 2022. A full copy of the DCO and decision letter can be found below:
You can also find all representations and a full document list from the DCO process on the PINS website linked here:
Please find a PDF of the DCO below. It is interactable so can be viewed on the website.
What is it - and why is it relevant to Manston Airport?
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The DCO is a process which RSP have used to submit their plans to the National Infrastructure Planners (PINS) to create a report– who then pass the report to the Secretary of State to consider and either 'Grant' or 'Deny' the DCO.– This was required to make Manston Airport into a Nationally Significant Infrastructure project.
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For developments that exceed a particular size, it is necessary to apply for Government permission (Consent), via the DCO route.
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Manston Airport required a DCO, as if it were to remain as small as it was previously, with no further investment, it would almost certainly fail again.
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The RiverOak investment in new infrastructure for Manston Airport is no longer predicted to be £300m, it will be over £500 million ! And RiverOak are particularly targeting it at local firms and Kent and Thanet people,. RiverOak are working to put in place education, training and apprenticeships to enable local people to participate.
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In 2019, RSP purchased Manston Airport from Stone Hill Park, for Aviation, and now own the whole site.
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The Thanet Local Plan hearings have confirmed that Manston is only to be used for Aviation purposes,
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Night Flights : RSP Manston Airport Night Flight Proposals included in the DCO: No arrivals or departures of aircraft between the hours of 11pm and 6am whether they are scheduled, chartered or otherwise. Exceptions : Arrivals that have been unavoidably delayed, and emergency or relief flights.
The Manston Airport DCO has been GRANTED.
This means more Investment in Thanet than it has ever seen before and thousands of high-quality well paid jobs …
On 9th July 2020 the Secretary of State for Transport announced his Decision. to grant the Development Consent Order to allow RSP to re-open Manston Airport for Aviation.
RiverOak have owned Manston Airport since about the end of the DCO Examination, only for aviation purposes. They exchanged contracts with Ann Gloag and Stone hill Park, and are now intending to re-open Manston Airport for cargo and passenger flights.
As of March 2021. the DCO was returned to the Decision stage , so the SoS for Transport could re-issue his decision letter and preform a further round of consultation.
On 18th August 2022, the DCO was once again granted by the SoS for Transport.
You may also find this short 6-minute video, produced by PINS, to be useful in helping understand the whole process:
A DCO has 6 stages:
This graphic is on the PINS website, which describes each stage. We are on 'Post-decision' (Stage 6)
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