Council chiefs say plans favoured by London Mayor Boris Johnson for a floating airport in the Thames estuary would turn parts of Medway into a 'concrete jungle.'

Medway Council leader, Cllr Rodney Chambers, said:“The infrastructure to handle the additional traffic just won’t be able to cope.

“It would require super highways to be built linking the airport to the motorway network, and would turn parts of Medway into a concrete jungle.

“Six years ago this council unanimously and whole-heartedly opposed proposals for an airport at Cliffe,”

“I am pleased to say that we successfully fought that pie in the sky scheme which was rejected.”

“I will be taking a report to Cabinet on Tuesday, February 17 and then to full Council on Thursday, March 5 and seeking support from colleagues on Medway Council once again to oppose this latest proposal.”

“I believe that the arguments put forward in 2002 equally apply to the proposals put forward now for the floating airport:

· The cost of building a new airport would be prohibitive

· The current infrastructure would not cope with huge increases in traffic

· The damage to the environment would be catastrophic

· The noise, light and air pollution would be intolerable

· The risk of bird strike from migrating and nesting wildfowl would be high - this is an international important site for birds

· The airport will be fog bound and affected by high winds.

“This scheme does not add up at all. It cannot be allowed to progress any further,” said Cllr Chambers.