The consortium trying to re-open Manston as a cargo hub airport faced a number of questions about the viability of its bid, according to new details of a meeting with planning chiefs.

The Planning Inspectorate has released further information of its meeting with RiverOak Strategic Partners about the bid for what is known as a Development Consent Order (DCO) to force the current owners to relinquish the site.

Notes on the meeting showed that officials from the inspectorate raised a number of concerns, including whether RiverOak had the money to fund it.

After the meeting last month, RSP withdrew its application and said it would resubmit it to take account of the concerns raised, although it has not yet done so.

The notes from the meeting indicate that RSP was told it had not provided enough information about how it would fund the planned cargo airport and that there were inconsistencies in the projected number of planes expected to use Manston.

On the question of funding, RSP was told the application “did not provide the Inspectorate with satisfactory assurance that adequate funds would be available to enable the compulsory acquisition of land and rights within the relevant time period.”

On the number of planes expected to use Manston, planners said there were inconsistencies in projections with the application showing that there would be 83,222 air traffic movements but in its Environmental Statement, the figure was 17,170.

As a result, there was a question over whether the application met the standards for being considered as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project - which is essential for any DCO to be granted.

The note also records doubts about the environmental statement provided by RSP.

“In particular, the Inspectorate highlighted several uncertainties which affect the validity of findings in the ES.

"There were gaps in the ecological, archaeological and ground investigation survey data presented within the Environmental Statement (ES) accompanying the application, which create uncertainty in the assessment of likely significant effects.”

Concerns about inconsistencies in the assessment of noise and vibration from aircraft were also highlighted.

The new details suggest that the issues with the bid to compulsory purchase the site are potentially more challenging than first envisaged.

However, a spokesman for RiverOak said the consortium was confident that the issues could be addressed.

“We are comfortable with the record of the meeting. These issues are all part of the process of the DCO and we are confident that they can be addressed.”