The owners of Manston Airport are expected to outline more details of their plans for the site today in what will be seen as an attempt to show that jobs will be secured at the former airfield sooner rather than later.

Owners Trevor Cartner and Chris Musgrave are to unveil proposals at a media briefing that sources say could create 150 jobs at the site in the near future.

However, the plans hinge on persuading Thanet council to agree to a change of use for key buildngs and there is already opposition to these applications.

And in what will be seen as a symbolic move, the owners are said to be preparing to re-name the airport as they develop their masterplan for a mixed-use site which will include housing.

Mr Musgrave and Mr Cartner, who also operate Discovery Park near Sandwich, say their plans for a £1 billion mixed-use redevelopment of the site could create 4,000 jobs.

Meanwhile, MPs Sir Roger Gale and Craig Mackinlay will meet the transport secretary Patrick McGloughlin tomorrow to press for support for calls to save the airport.

Thanet council, under its new Ukip-led administration has already agreed that the authority should review its position on a possible CPO - overturning a decision by the former Labour-led council not to pursue a buyout.