shelling out

I published a blog on the 29th March 2017 (link here) detailing the facts that the ownership of the company that is applying for a Development Consent Order (DCO) on the former Manston site is rather murky and little has changed since. So to clarify where we are today as the DCO, which was due to be placed before National Planning in the Autumn 2017, has been delayed yet again.

The Company, Riveroak Strategic Partners Ltd (RSP Ltd), seems on the face of it to be a Special Purpose Enterprise/ Shell Company with the true ownership hidden away in Belize. See diagram below.

As you can see the ownership is 90% M.I.O. Investments held incognito in the British Territory of Belize. Why you might wonder?
"Said companies are legally mandated to carry out any international transactions as long as they do it by the book. They have certain privileges too, and one of them includes being allowed not to pay taxes within the country of operation. In addition to that, such an institution is not required to disclose the names and contacts of its owners or the intricate details of its operations." Link here
From SHP's solicitors letter dated 13/11/2017

It is also clear that Stone Hill Park (SHP) is clearly losing patience with the ongoing DCO saga which is interfering with the aims of the owners of SHP, Trevor Cartner and Chris Musgrave, who would like this sorry saga to go away.
From Pinsent Mason's letter to National Planning on 13/11/2017

It is also clear that RSP is sailing close to the wind with Companies House as their recent declaration concerning who exerts "Significant Control" is somewhat confusing.

"The Company knows or has reasonable cause to believe there is no registrable person or registrable legal entity in relation to the Company"

The advice at Companies House clearly states the following:

 Clearly the share ownership says the "legal entity" M.I.O. Investments has 90% ownership of RSP Ltd so why do the legal filing not disclose this fact?

All in all it is apparent that the DCO and who is actually controlling it is cloudy in the extreme and despite this many of the stalwarts in the supporters ranks are discerning enough to ask the appropriate questions. If SHP decide to recover their costs then it is apparent they will struggle to find any assets to claim the monies from as currently it appears RSP have no visible assets.

Finally the light dawns

Briefly, when Ann Gloag shut the airport in 2014 various groups formed to campaign to get the airport reinstated. The main groups were "Supporters of Manston Airport (SuMA)" run by a small group let by Ruth Brackstone-Bailey. The other main supporter group was "Save Manston Airport (SMA)" set up by Keith Churcher and Daniel Light. Over the 3 years since the leadership of SMA  changed and then after an internal civil war reverted back to Dan & Keith with the others forming a new group "Save Manston Airport Association (SMAa)" under Beau Webber and John Pritchard.

Recently it has become apparent that both SuMA and SMA have lost confidence in Riveroak Strategic Partners (RSP), still run by Anthony Freudmann, especially after RSP failed to convince the public at their "consultations" and the mauling Dr. Sally Dixon received over her "proof" a cargo hub was a viable option for Manston. It didn't help that Dr Dixon used two York Aviation reports to reinforce her "proof". This proof was promptly savaged by the original authors who said "Dr Dixon failed to understand the conclusions of our reports and misrepresented the conclusions".

Stone Hill Park (SHP) have altered their plans for the site to include 1199m of runway as heritage with up to 2000M not to be built beside, which means that those who support aviation get what they want as well as those who do not want a 24/7 cargo Hub not getting a polluting, noisy unprofitable land grab.

Finally both SuMA and SMA have come to the same conclusion isolating SMAa as a blinkered group supporting Freudmann at the expense of both coastal towns of Ramsgate and Herne Bay.

Then SuMA posted this

It does seem that finally it has dawned on some airport supporters that RSP's plans are impossible to believe and with the DCO not being submitted in November as promised due to doubts about their "consultation" process people are beginning to wonder if they will ever submit a DCO.
Stone Hill Park certainly believe their DCO is flawed and RSP know it.

It is worth mentioning here that some "die hard" supporters are using the word traitor towards both Keith and Ruth but then abusing people is par for the course when you go against the "cult" of Manston.

Further developments are that several "investors" are circling around RSP tasting blood in the water. It is doubtful these are anything other than chancers however they have a certain cabal within the UKIP ranks who sense an opportunity in delaying the Local Plan because they believe that a change of use from "Aviation Only" to "Mixed use" would price the land out of the wallets of these other chancers.

Dale seems to be a middle man however watching him comment on Manston Pickle's Facebook page you might be forgiven for thinking he was a child.

This gentleman seems to be a non-starter seeing as he has just got out of jail after serving half of a 5 year jail sentence for committing a fraud. Details here

It does seem now the blinkered support for Freudmann seems to only remain in the few that reside on the SMAa Facebook page as well as the Tory MP's Gale and Mackinlay along with the Councillors (Tory) who seem to want the Local plan to fail which will mean the Tories will increase the number of houses that have to be supported on the Local Plan, which unfortunately will have to go on Green Field sites.

It doesn't however stop the abuse from continuing especially within SMAa and also on Paul Joseph Messenger's FB page. Whether he fails to monitor his own timeline or basically doesn't care doesn't matter as an elected official he is supposed to adhere to the Nolan Principles, something he probably has never read.
This is the latest