Wood supports successful development consent order for Manston Airport

Plans supported by Wood to create one of the most modern, efficient and environmentally friendly freight hubs in the world, creating more than 16,000 jobs, at Manston Airport in Kent, UK have been granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) by the UK Government, a first of its kind for the aviation industry.

Development of the airport is being led by Riveroak Strategic Partners with Wood guiding the Environment Impact Assessment that supported the successful DCO application.

Nick Hilton, Transport Strategy Director at Wood, said: “We are proud to be supporting Riveroak Strategic Partners in bringing forward this complex and ambitious project and to have reached this important milestone in the creation of a world-leading freight hub. It’s another great example of how we at Wood are bringing our diverse breadth of expertise to create solutions for more sustainable infrastructure needed to improve the way our world connects.”

The $300m global freight hub will be able to handle at least 10,000 air cargo movements a year while also offering passenger, executive travel and aircraft engineering services.

Wood’s environment and infrastructure consultancy managed the entire EIA process, bringing together experts in air quality, transport, noise and vibration, as well as biodiversity, historic and water specialists. Submission of the application in 2018 was followed by a six-month examination process in which Wood specialists gave evidence in response to issues raised by the Planning Inspectorate, the public, statutory consultees and interested parties.