Abingdon has been ruled out as a possible location for a fifth airport for London, it has emerged.

The Department for Transport ranked the town 11th in a list of 30 sites considered for a two-runway airport to handle millions of passengers a year.

The feasibility study was part of a review of Britain's aviation strategy for the next 30 years.

But the Oxfordshire location was considered unsuitable, and is not progressing to public consultation.

Transport Department spokesman Sarah Weston said: "Abingdon is no longer in the consultation document."

Public protests, including a campaign by the Oxford Mail, defeated previous plans to build a major airport near Abingdon in 1995 -- the so-called Lox Airport.

David Robertson, of Oxfordshire County Council, said: "Everyone in Oxfordshire will be very relieved that Abingdon is no longer being considered as an option.

"There was huge public opposition last time round, and I have no doubt that the reaction would have been the same again if the Department of Transport had decided to go ahead with consultation."

Cliffe in north Kent is being considered for a new four-runway airport, together with expansion plans for Luton, Heathrow and Stansted.

Abingdon was on the list of 30 possible locations, as part of the South East and East of England Regional Air Services (SERAS) Study.

Paul Bizzell, leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council, said the new airport could have been created at the former RAF Abingdon airfield -- now Dalton Barracks -- or the site for the abandoned Lox plans -- between Drayton and East Hanney.

Dr Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, and Wantage Conservative MP Robert Jackson had not been aware that the Government had re-examined Abingdon's suitability.

Dr Harris said: "I haven't heard about it and I haven't had any letters from constituents, which suggests there has not been any consultation going on locally."

Mr Jackson said any talk of a new airport would have had to be taken with "a large pinch of salt".

He added: "Much of the Lox site is now owned by Thames Water and the company is planning to build a reservoir.

Department for Transport spokesman Caroline Brown said: "The study was huge and there is no way we could have consulted over every site we looked at."

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