PLANS unveiled by airport chiefs to develop Manston Airfield would not be thwarted if the proposal to build a new airport in Cliffe was given the green light.

The successful Kent airport, based in Thanet, recently announced plans to develop the site which could lead to more than 6,000 jobs and 10 million passengers a year. And despite the proposal put forward by the Department of Transport on Friday, Manston airport chiefs are convinced it will be business as usual.

A spokesman said: "Basically the short answer would be no - we would not be affected. We have so many exciting plans on the go - another Kent airport would not stop us."

But with the developments going on at Manston, people are asking why the government should even consider building another airport, let alone on the marshlands of Cliffe. Manston caters for passenger and freight transportation, but by 2010 it could provide a total of 6,000 direct jobs with many more support workers, rivalling London's main airports. And if this is the case, by 2020, 10 million passengers could be travelling to and from Manston instead of Stanstead, Heathrow, or Gatwick. So why build another airport in Kent?

Medway Council leader, Cllr Rodney Chambers said: "If there is a need for another London airport that is in Kent, we have already got the sight at Manston and they should invest in the rail link from London to Thanet. Thanet has also got a higher unemployment level than Medway."

Manston airport is situated just outside Ramsgate and already has a number of main roads linked to the site. It could be Kent's answer to the main London airport's, providing national and international destinations.