Noise concerns dominated as members of the public told planning inspectors their thoughts about proposals to reopen Manston Airport.

The latest public hearings took place on Monday into the application by RiverOak, which is seeking to take over the airfield to build a cargo airport.

Two sessions were held at Oddfellows Hall in Ramsgate as supporters and opponents once again aired their views during an inquiry by the Planning Inspectorate over whether to approve the development consent order (DCO).

The hearings discussed a range of issues from various groups and individual residents about the airfield currently lying empty but is being prepared to hold lorries during port delays and transport disruption.

Chief among the concerns raised were worries about the impact of noise for schoolchildren, businesses, visitors to Ramsgate and for the future of listed buildings in the town's conservation area.

Several parties cited concerns in RiverOak's noise mitigation strategy stating the volume of planes landing and taking off reaching 100 decibels (dB).

Pupils from the Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School even played the room a recording of a plane landing at the same volume as they would experience in the classroom.

The students say they are worried about the number of flights proposed - up to 10 an hour during the day - will be affecting their learning and hampering sleep.

Simon Pullen, headteacher of the Royal Harbour Academy in Ramsgate, says the flights passing directly over schools and pupils' homes will impact their learning because they "would not get the deep sleep they need to develop physically and intellectually".

"When I taught at Hereson School, it was disruptive but our concern is more with the night flights," Mr Pullen said. "They will come in to school tired and not able to learn."

But RiverOak's representative, Isabella Tafur, responded saying night flights will be restricted with "no departures between 11pm and 6am" and "no programmed arrivals either scheduled or chartered" during the same time.

She did warn the only eventuality of planes arriving in that time frame would be when flights were "unavoidably delayed".

The evening meeting heard from 29 different speakers with other concerns about tourism being affected which people say is vital to Thanet's economy, air quality and pollution.

The inspectors were also asked to seriously consider the business proposals set out by RiverOak amid concerns about experience levels of running a fully fledged commercial airport and major fears about the company's numbers being viable and operationally successful.

Supporters say reopening the airport will create far more jobs in skilled aviation and engineering roles which will offer young people better opportunities for their futures and help bring Thanet out of deprivation.

Representatives from the Save Manston Airport (SMA) group and Kent Needs Manston Airport were among those while district and county councillor Emma Dawson described the airport proposals as "a golden opportunity" to create "skilled jobs" for young people in Thanet.

The meeting also heard from Greg Nocentini, a 20-year-old trainee pilot and member of the SMA, who says Manston is an "ideal location" to train pilots.

Michael Grantham, in favour of the airport reopening, says he fears the alternative will be thousands of houses and the impact of traffic.

"People talk about the pollution from aircraft but what about 15,000 to 20,000 extra cars? It fills me with fear if that happens," he said.

But one opponent fought back saying choosing between an airport or Stone Hill's plans is not a case of getting "houses or jobs".

She said the Stone Hill proposals as a mixed use development with business space, homes, schools and doctors would all be creating jobs.