A retired businessman is hoping to see a £45 million dream of a high-tech space camp in Kent finally take-off.

First mooted 13 years ago, Alan Cornwell has reignited his proposal to build a futuristic space complex in the county - and believes Manston Airport remains best suited.

The Thanet site is currently mired in a tug of war between its owner, Stone Hill Park, which wants to develop the site for housing, and RiverOak, a company which wants to see the airport reopened as a going concern.

But Mr Cornwell, 76, from Sevenoaks, says either option could allow his long-held dream of a space camp to become a reality.

However, it is unlikely to find a place should the site return to aviation use - with RiverOak director Tony Freudmann saying there would be no opportunity under its plans.

When Mr Cornwell first put forward the plans in 2005, after a previous collapse of the airport, he held talks with Thanet District Council which responded positively. But due to their commitment to the Turner Contemporary project they were unable to provide any backing.

So the idea lay dormant - until now.

The space camp concept would "create a centre of excellence for education, cultivating an interest in future sciences relating to space travel exploration and space ecology by way of simulated astronaut training".

The idea has proved popular on the continent, with similar camps in France and Belgium.

A former aircraft engineer, Mr Cornwell had been close to getting similar projects off the ground in both Australia and France before political changes scuppered his plans.

He explained: "We got to serious points, where the plans were about to be agreed, but on both occasions those politicians about to sign up either were moved sideways or lost their seats.

"But the projects were accepted, the finance was in place, it was just a question of having the right man in the right place at the right time, but they all fell through.

"I tried with Manston before but the Turner project caused it to be put on hold - this is my final attempt.

"I've got links to the European Space Agency and have been involved in other projects, so I'm not new to this."

And he admits he is open to discussions for any sites in the county for the ambitious project.

He adds: "There will be a training programme in a massive dome with six other domes around it, all interconnected, with things to do in each.

"We'd have a pool, a cage, where you can dive down and construct something in a cage so you get a sense of weighlessness. We'd construct satellites, a simulated ship - something similar to the space shuttle.

"Manston is an ideal spot given its beautiful runway. But anywhere in Kent would be suitable. I will be taking a look around.
"I'm confident we would find the financing if we get the chance, and we'd look to start as a non-profit organisation."

But Tony Freudmann, director of RiverOak, which last week heard its development consent order would be examined by the government's Planning Inspectorate - which if approved would see it able to push ahead with plans to get planes back in the sky - said there was no scope for such an attraction under its proposals.

He said: "To be honest it doesn't fit with the concept of an international airport. What we have applied for is carefully delineated, it shows an international cargo airport with a little bit of passenger traffic and some engineering but there's no room for anything else I'm afraid.

"The other problem you face these days is the generation of road traffic, so if you had a non-aviation attraction you'd have to apply for parking and that would cause the Planning Inspectorate and the highways authority huge problems."

Representatives from Stone Hill Park were unavailable for comment.