Such is the conclusion of the Council Cabinet's response to the Inspector's report (reported last March) in relation to Rochester Airport. The response can be downloaded (in Word document format) from the Council's web site and is organised as...

• A general response to the Inspector's Report
• Appendix 1 which is a detailed response related to the airport issue
• Appendix 2 which is a breakdown of the Inspector's report and the Cabinet's recommendations
• Appendix 3 which is a schedule of proposed modifications to the Local Plan

Although couched in terms that still leaves one doubting the commitment to the retention of the airport, the cabinet does accept that the complete redevelopment of the airport cannot be justified. Instead it is recommending adoption of the compromise solution, foregoing the housing development, reducing the area to be allocated to the technology park development from 33ha to 25ha, and retaining one of the current two runways.

Although this represents encouraging news for the airport, it is not without some concerns. The Cabinet recommendation has yet to go before the whole Council. As Professor Richard Tedder, the chairman of Rochester Airport PLC explains: "The political difference between the cabinet and the council poses a risk that the decision will be reversed by the full council when they meet to discuss it".

Furthermore, the resolution of the recommendation is ambiguous, including the statement that "...further technical work be undertaken to assess the relative merits of retaining each of the runways, the investment that would be necessary, the economic feasibility and the best configuration of development on the site."

This refers to making the decision about which of the runways is to be retained under the revised plan. What it serves also to do is further obscure the long term future of the facility even in the face of the Inspector's conclusion that "...the Airport could develop and expand its operations and activities in the future, particularly with security of tenure and a longer lease."