Six Conservative MPs representing the north Kent constituencies have demanded an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the proposed Thames Estuary airport.

They wrote today to David Cameron after the government said it was going to consult on the plan within weeks.

The MPs are Gareth Johnson (Dartford), Adam Hollway (Gravesham), Rehman Chishti (Gillingham), Mark Reckless (Rochester/Strood), Tracey Crouch (Chatham), and Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne/Sheppey).

They pointed out both the Prime Minister amnd the Aviation minister, Theresa Villiuers, had both said there were no plans for the airport which it is suggested could be built on the Hoo peninsula in Mr Reckless' constituency or on an island in the estuary. Both would have four runways.

They wrote: "If any such proposal were to go ahead it would have an enormous effect on the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents living in the wider Thames Estuary region and devastate an area of global environmental significance."

Lord Foster, the architect behind the Hoo proposal, estimates the cost at up to £80bn.

,They said: "We strongly urge the government not to proceed weith these proposals and look instead at fully utilising the capacity of existing airports in the South East, and others such as Birmingham, which will now benefit from the new HS2 highspeed rail lionk to London in 30 - 40 minutes."

Mr Johnson fears the flight path could be over Dartford, and that the environmental impact would be huge. Large flocks of birds could also be sucked into aircraft engines.

He added: "We should first look at the possibility of extending existing airports including Manston."