Of course the renewal of Manston is not predicated on pax traffic but freight for which it is ideally suited, has a pre-existing BIP and high quality chilled freight sheds. The USP is that the Cargolux 747s could get their first pallets onto waiting lorries and on the road to London within 40 minutes of touching down. In all likelihood cargo landing at Manston could be in the London morning markets well before Heathrow cargo has even left the airport boundary.
A business plan which depends on the air freighting of fresh produce is not one I'd be putting money into - somebody someday is going to twig how all those flowers for Valentines day get here...