BDB Pitmans secures first ever airport development DCO for Manston Airport

Angus Walker Partner

BDB Pitmans has secured a Development Consent Order (DCO) for Manston Airport, the first ever airport project to receive a DCO. Issued by the Department for Transport, Manston Airport will be able to re-open in the first quarter of 2023.

The BDB Pitmans team led by partner Angus Walker, acted on behalf of the developer, RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP). The decision comes after two years of scrutiny by the Planning Inspectorate and Department for Transport. BDB Pitmans has a 100% success record when it comes to securing DCOs and has acted for clients in over a fifth of the successful applications since the powers were introduced in 2008.

RSP has pledged £300 million to rebuild Manston Airport as a global freight hub with some passenger capacity, which it hopes will address gaps in the UK’s trading infrastructure, providing dedicated air freight capacity adjacent to the London airports system, and to provide a significant boost to the UK economy.

Angus Walker, Partner at BDB Pitmans comments:

‘We are delighted to have secured consent for a development that is anticipated to bring 23,000 jobs to East Kent creating a significant boost to the region and the wider economy. To secure the first-ever DCO for an airport is a significant achievement: not least given the successful challenge to the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) putting Heathrow expansion in doubt.

It is testament to the hard work of the sector-leading team at BDB Pitmans that we are able to maintain a 100% record when it comes to successful grants of DCOs for clients. To do so for a project of such national significance cements our position as sector-leading for infrastructure projects.’

The DCO will come into force on 30 July 2020. Construction will begin in 2021 with the airport aiming to operate first cargo services in the first quarter of 2023.