Kent County Council leader Paul Carter has poured cold water on plans by Thanet council to compulsory purchase Manston airport.

Paul Carter rejected a plea by KCC's Ukip opposition leader Roger Latchford to swing the authority’s weight behind a buyout, saying there was no credible plan to re-open it as an airport.

He told a full council meeting today that there could be no open-ended commitment to support Thanet Council in its efforts to force the current owners to sell the airport.

His comments come ahead of the first meeting of Thanet Council tonight under its new Ukip administration.

The council is expected to vote to review the previous Labour administration’s decision not to pursue a CPO.

But Mr Carter warned: “Neither the government or Kent County Council can support the compulsory purchase of the Manston site on the information we currently have available.

"It is the absence of relevant information which matters here.”

He went on: “The only plans which I have seen for the future of the site are those published by the new owners of Manston, Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner.

"I am still, despite requesting it, have not been shown any business plan from RiverOak.”

He said the government would have to satisfy itself that any CPO plan was a better option for the site in terms of economic regeneration in east Kent than those on the table.

“Until the Secretary of State completes his due diligence on both plans it is premature to ask for an open-ended commitment to support Thanet and their CPO process.”

Manston closed a year ago and since then has been the subject of a campaign to re-open it.

However, it was sold by former owner Ann Gloag to regeneration specialists who say they have no aviation-related plans for it.