Nick,
Are you suggesting that it would be an impossibility that NWI would be closed in favour of real estate?
I worked at NWI and lived in NWI so I know the lie of the land, some prime land just off the outer ring road, even when I wast last living there more than 25 years ago they had electrified the London railway and housing development in Norwich was going "crazy".
So what has NWI got ... It's got FlyBE, yep Manston had FlyBE, it's got City Hopper, yep Manston had City Hopper also, it's got some helicopter business, yep Manston had helicopter business also, it's got a maintenance facility, yep Manston had that also, about the only difference between Norwich and Manson to me seems to be an ABZ route, some summer charters, and an Airport Development Fee!