The former Manston Airport site could be used to hold several thousand more lorries under contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit, it has emerged.

It is understood the government is being urged to consider significantly increasing the capacity at the former airport instead of using the M26 to hold lorries as part of its contingency plans in the event of disruption and delays at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

Under the existing plans for Operation Brock - the revised version of Operation Stack - Manston is currently earmarked to hold 4,000 HGVs if needed.

However, council chiefs are urging the Department for Transport to evaluate if it would be viable to increase the number by as much as a further 3,000.

The current owners of the site - now called Stone Hill Park - are understood to have been approached about the proposal.

The former airport covers about 38 acres and even with 4,000 HGVs has the space to hold thousands more.

Kent County Council's cabinet member for highways Cllr Mike Whiting said: “We have always said that the purpose of Operation Brock was to keep our roads open.

"Using the M26 in the way that has been suggested would close part of the Queen’s Highways in Kent.

"For that reason, we are talking with the government and other agencies to see if we can stop that happening.”

Cllr Whiting said there were "lots of scenarios being worked up" when asked about the possibility of Manston being used to hold more HGVs than was currently planned under Operation Brock.

He said: "We need to look at all the available capacity there may be and then model around what that capacity is and what is achievable and deliverable.

“If the M26 is used, it would hold about 2,100 lorries.

"In the great scheme of things, if we can provide those spaces elsewhere, that would be a very good solution.

"If Manston is able to provide a few more places, that would get them off the highway and safely stored and in a queue so they will be able to serve those ferries to keep them moving, then we would be looking at all options.”

KCC leader Paul Carter said using the M26 was “not a flier” when he spoke at a summit on bus routes at County Hall last night.

Without naming Manston, he said there were other locations where there was spare capacity.

He said: “We have capacity elsewhere which would make a much better resilience plan that keeps the whole of the network open and we are gaining ground on that. We have got a few more people to convince.”

The M26 would only be used as “the ultimate final stage” and that was unlikely “because we have capacity elsewhere.”

On the role of other police forces, he said the government was being pressed to use them to prevent HGVs from getting into Kent when Operation Brock was triggered.

“If things become that severe, lorries should be held from coming into Kent by other police authorities up and down the country.”

The former airport site was first put on standby in 2016 as an emergency lorry park in the event Operation Stack was triggered. It has never been used but has cost the taxpayer some £6m keeping it ready.

The news comes as MPs and council leaders, led by Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat, met again with ministers and were given assurances that alternatives to closing the M26 would be explored.