About £20m has already been spent on upgrading the airport

London Ashford Airport, based at Lydd, has submitted two planning applications to Shepway District Council.

One is for a 500,000 capacity passenger terminal building and a 637 space car park, the other for a runway extension.

The council said a six-week consultation programme would begin in January, with exhibitions and evening presentations planned.

The applications are likely to take between three and six months to assess, before the council considers whether or not to approve the plans.

Protest groups

The creation of a large regional airport, with a capacity of two million passengers a year, is the aim of the proposals.

The airport's management said the development would create thousands of jobs for the local area.

But opposition has been strong, with the Lydd Airport Action Group and the Keep The Marsh Special Alliance both set up to fight the plans.