East Kent campaigner launches follow-up Judicial Review against “unintelligible” airport development decision.
Ramsgate resident Jenny Dawes has launched a second Judicial Review (JR) against the development of a cargo hub at Manston airport. The 1200-page document was filed by her legal team, Harrison Grant Ring.
Manston airport has already seen one Development Consent Order (DCO) quashed, following a legal challenge by Dawes who filed the first JR to the High Court in 2020.
The Secretary Of State for Transport had over-ridden his own Planning Inspectorate who advised the airport should not be granted planning permission. The court described the SOS’s explanation behind the granting of the DCO as “unintelligible”.
The SOS then ordered three follow-up consultations and commissioned a £150,000 report from aviation experts Ove Arup who agreed with the Planning Inspectorate decision that the airport development should not go ahead. The SOS ignored this too, and issued a second DCO on 18 August 2022.
Campaigners against the development have long argued about the negative effects on health, the local economy and the environment. The Transport Secretary admitted airport disruption would have a detrimental effect on Dawes’ home town of Ramsgate.
A 747 flies directly over Ramsgate to reach Manston
Dawes says: “Developing Manston Airport will cause irreparable harm to the people, environment and the economy of East Kent.” She says she is launching this latest legal challenge because: “the second DCO decision is also flawed.”
Dawes crowdfunded £119,000 to pay for the legal costs arising from the first Judicial Review (JR) in 2020. “The money we raised last time was used to pay solicitors, barristers, consultants and court costs in what turned out to be a long and complicated case.”
Jenny is calling for donations to help fund the second JR on her new crowd fund page. You can donate, and read more about the case, here: https://tinyurl.com/26mwy5xz