Kent International Airport has been given the go ahead to run more night flights in a move that could create up to 200 jobs.

Thanet councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of plans to extend the flight window by 90 minutes, allowing planes to take off or land from 6am until 11.30pm. At the moment, aircraft can only operate between 7am and 11pm.

Only four councillors - David Green, Liz Green, Kay Dark and Thomas King - objected to the plans at an extraordinary general meeting on Thursday night.

The decision paves the way for a major European airline, believed to be British Airways, to use the airport at Manston for long-haul international cargo movements.

But it has angered green campaigners including Steve Higgins, founder of the Stop Manston Expansion Group, who claimed the plans were rushed through with little or no public consultation.

He said: "It did seem like a foregone conclusion that the plans would be rubber stamped by the council.

"They're not known to go against anything labelled with the title 'jobs', however unpallatable it is for a large proportion of their electorate."

The changes to the airport's section 106 agreement will permit an extra 11 flights a week, starting as early as this May.

The 18-month trial will be reviewed every six months and an environmental consultant will be commissioned to carry out assess the impact of flights during night-time hours.

Airport owner Infratil is also committed to improving noise monitoring and reporting, a statement from Thanet council said.

Cllr Roger Latchford, cabinet member for culture and economy, added: "Proposals relating to the airport will always spark debate, with members having to strike a careful balance between the environmental impacts on our residents against the potential of creating new jobs.

"That's always a difficult decision to make."

If British Airways were to relocate to Manston it would be the second major carrier in less than 10 weeks to announce flights to and from the airport.

In December, Europe's biggest low-cost airline Flybe confirmed it will operate scheduled flights to Jersey from this summer.

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