by Phil Pitt

A new aircraft maintenance business is creating jobs in Thanet, with the prospect of generating long-term training and employment.

AvMan Engineering is opening for business at Kent International Airport in Manston and expects to have a 40-strong workforce at the site by the end of the year.

At the moment the firm maintains short- to medium-range jets such as the McDonnell Douglas MD-82. But it is hopeful of developing its Kent base to service larger aircraft in the future - including the Airbus.

To do this, it intends to grow local talent by taking on local young people as apprentices to support its growth.

"We are in negotiations with one of the largest aviation training companies to establish a training school at our facility within six months," said Chris Wilson, group managing director at AvMan.

"We are keen to introduce Airbus maintenance in about four to five years. This means our new employees would be able to start work very soon and by the time they complete their training and obtain the appropriate licenses they could be working on one of the most popular types of aircraft in the industry."

He promised apprentices would be the future of the company, but would initially use qualified local engineers to establish and grow the business.

In contrast to the good employment news in the east of Kent, there is continued uncertainty for some 200 Land Registry staff in the west of the county.

The Land Registry announced that its office in Tunbridge Wells is set to close in 2011, as part of a package of cuts.

The site deals with the land registration across Kent.

"These proposals were not arrived at easily and we very much regret having to close our office in Tunbridge Wells where we have had an office since 1955," said Peter Collis, chief land registrar.

"The collapse in the housing market last year had a serious and significant effect on our work and income and we lost nearly £130m. Despite the steps we have already taken to cut costs, we will make another loss this year."

Unlike many other government departments, the Land Registry is mainly funded from the money it collects - in its case from house sales.

Now the PCS union has vowed to fight the closure, claiming the move is a precursor to privatisation.