About �20m has already been spent on upgrading the airport

London Ashford Airport, based at Lydd, has submitted planning applications to Shepway District Council for a runway extension and a new passenger terminal.

A six-week consultation programme is under way, with exhibitions planned.

But campaigners from the Keep The Marsh Special Alliance have urged local residents to write letters of protest to the council and the government.

Supporters of the group, which was set up to fight the plans along with the Lydd Airport Action Group, spent Sunday delivering thousands of leaflets to householders across the area.

'Lives blighted'

It asks residents to consider their "quality of life" if the proposals go ahead.

"There will be jet flights over this area every 20 to 30 minutes," it says. "There will be increased road congestion.

"If we don't stop it now, the expansion will go ahead and our lives will be blighted forever."

The proposals would see a 500,000 capacity passenger terminal building and a 637 space car park built, with the aim of creating a large regional airport, with a capacity of two million passengers a year.