Opinions remain split on plans to reopen Manston Airport.

More than 2,000 representations have been made public from people living and working in Thanet in response to an application to revive the site.

The development consent order, a high-powered planning application sent directly to central government, has been submitted by RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP).

It wants to turn the dormant site into a hub for cargo flights.

In August, Government planning chiefs agreed to consider the bid from the consortium, after a previous application was withdrawn.

Registration for interested parties began on September 3 and closed on October 8.

Representation on behalf of Stone Hill Park (SHP) bosses, who are battling to turn the site into housing and commercial premises, has branded the application as "not realistic".

In turn, it says its own proposal for the site is "realistic and viable".

The document submitted said: "SHP has a realistic and viable development proposal for much needed housing and mixed use development, whereas RSP's proposal is, at best, speculative but with no realistic prospect of a long term viable operation."

A statement, however, from Thanet District Council says the authority "does not object to this development of the airport for aviation".

It reads: "Any aviation function on the site requires the appropriate scrutiny to ensure that the economic benefits of the use positively affect local residents and businesses, with the need for all environmental impacts from its construction and operation to be mitigated to an acceptable level.

"The council is seeking to constructively assist the applicant in resolving the issues raised on the above matters, prior to the production of the council's local impact report."

But in a contradiction to this, Thanet's Ukip and Independent group have submitted an representation objecting to the development consent order.

They said the bid lacked "the necessary coherence, evidence and credibility to gain approval and create a genuinely functioning aviation operation which could be tolerated by the local community".

Meanwhile, a representation from Kent Wildlife Trust, raised issues of the possible impacts on wild animals nearby.

It reads: "Kent Wildlife Trust is concerned about the potential negative impact on species and habitats, both on the site itself but also in the immediate surrounding area, which includes a numbers of sites of local, national, European and international importance for nature conservation.

Support, however, has come from Minster parish council - with the majority of the Manston Airport site lying within the parish.

Spokesman Penelope Gimes said: "The future of this site has long been a contentious issue, however the agreed position of the parish council is to support aviation use on this site.

"This would provide much needed employment and encourage further investment in the area.

"Our early response to RSP proposals did raise a number of concerns on behalf of our residents which included noise and air pollution and environmental impact.

"We seek assurance that night flights will be kept to a minimum."