The fate of Manston Airport in Kent is now looking more hopeful after aviation minister Robert Goodwill promised the Transport Select Committee that he will “leave no stone unturned” in his bid to save the transport hub.

He also said that prime minister David Cameron had taken “a keen interest” in the rescue bid.

However, it was also confirmed that no one knows who owns the airport in question, which will pose a major challenge to any further developments on the site. Mr Goodwill said that a compulsory purchase order would not be dependent on the current owner, so it was not a high priority.
Mr Goodwill said that the government would work with the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that Manston had the appropriate licences to continue operations. It has been suggested that the airport could be used as a hub for transporting freight, as well as hosting some aircraft recycling functions.