A second bid to ground plans to reopen Manston Airport has been rejected by a High Court judge.

Ramsgate resident Jenny Dawes applied for a judicial review of the decision to allow the Thanet site to be transformed into a cargo hub.

The move meant the decision in August to green-light the multi-million-pound scheme was reassessed by a High Court judge.

And it has since been announced the application was refused - sparking hopes the site will soon be relaunched.

Reacting to the news, bosses from RSP, the company pushing ahead with the airport scheme, said: "We have just been notified that the application for a judicial review has been dismissed.

"We now look forward to getting the process of turning Manston into a state of-the-art air freight hub underway and working to support the long-term economic development of east Kent that we set out in the application."

The government originally granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) three years ago, a move that appeared to pave the way for the RSP-owned site to reopen.

But in February 2021, it was officially quashed by the High Court, following a judicial review launched by Ms Dawes.

Despite this, the Department for Transport confirmed in August its DCO had once again been granted.

Just one month later, Ms Dawes filed a 1,200-page appeal claiming the reopening "Manston Airport will cause irreparable harm to the people, environment and the economy of east Kent".

North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale says the today's ruling is "clear and unequivocal" - and hopes it will "be accepted by all parties".

"It will, I believe, clear the way for the massive investment in the re-development of Manston as a freight hub and subsequent passenger airport to commence very soon," the veteran Conservative said.

"We have waited for a long time for this moment but the future is at last clear – the future of modern aviation is Manston.

"I am grateful to all of those who have maintained their confidence in a project that is of great national as well as local importance and that has the potential to create many jobs and significant prosperity in east Kent."

South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay (Con) has also welcomed the decision.

"I’m delighted the application for judicial review of the government’s decision to grant the Manston DCO has been dismissed," he said.

"We can now start the process of getting our airport working - bringing jobs and huge local investment."

In September, RSP director Tony Freudmann told KentOnline construction will begin later this year - with the airport operating its first cargo services in early 2025.

He warned if there was a judicial review hearing at the High Court, the development could be delayed by "a few months".