The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has had his plan for an airport that would be built in the Thames Estuary attacked by the council for Medway. A report published by the council has laughed off the idea saying it would be like moving Manchester Airport to Leeds because it would be 60 miles away from the capital of where it is intended to serve.

The plan is to build a super airport around two miles off the coast of Sheerness in Kent. It would be connected on both sides of the body of the water by underground routes and bridges, have six runways and would take over from Heathrow as London’s main airport. Mr Johnson has set a task force to look into the possibility of the estimated £40 billion project, but it has also come under fire from environmentalists who say it would be unworkable.

The Mayor’s authority has also come into question as to whether he would be allowed to commission such a project as it does come under his area. Medway Council have also said the site is too close to Thamesport, a liquid gas natural port, and said there would also have to be another major train station built in the capital to cope with the demand for transport to and from the location.

A spokesman for the Medway Council added that the report shows that this idea has not been properly thought out and opinions taken. Bird strikes would be higher than any other UK airports and the environmental damage would be immense.