Thames Gateway Officer, Greg Hitchcock, said: “The Trust has been saying for over a decade that building an airport in this area would lead to environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale.

"The damage caused by these proposals is totally unjustifiable, both morally and economically.

"We are glad the Airports Commission has ignored the political posturing and applied some common sense.”

This latest rejection is just one in a series over the past few decades.

Greg added: "The grazing marshes and estuaries of North Kent are home to internationally important numbers of birds, as well as seals, dolphins and porpoises, water voles and rare insects.

"To those who know the area, the idea of putting and airport here is unthinkable."