Inspectors deciding the future of Manston Airport have revealed delays to the progress of a crucial planning inquiry.

Kelvin MacDonald, the lead inspector, published a letter yesterday setting out a new timetable for evidence submissions after "technical difficulties".

He says delays to submissions being uploaded to the public website where all documents are listed is behind the amendment.

The Planning Inspectorate, the national planning authority, is extending deadlines for new comments.

In a letter, Mr MacDonald said: "Due to technical difficulties it has taken an unusually long time to make some of the submissions made to deadline three in the examination timetable available on the National Infrastructure Planning website.

"In particular, this delay has affected the deadline three submissions made by No Night Flights (NNF).

"A number of late submissions by other Interested Parties are also affected."

The inspectors say the timetable is being changed to allow comments affected by the problems to be sent in by March 29 - for deadline five instead of tomorrow's deadline for the fourth round of submissions.

The Planning Inspectorate is assessing an application for a compulsory purchase order to reopen the airport.

Developers Stone Hill want to build 2,000 houses, commercial and business premises on the former airport land.

But River Oak is applying to buy the site as a cargo airport arguing their proposals are vital to national infrastructure.

The project page on the National Infrastructure Planning website provides the details for all the latest developments on the inquiry.