[3] The building of the hoverport was controversial, with objections from a range of interest parties including local residents represented by the "Pegwell Bay Committee",[5] bird watchers, those wishing to conserve the coastline, and yacht operators.

[7] Multiple rounds of public inquiry were held, before the inspector Charles Hilton recommended granting of permission, with the ministerial approval being given on 10 January 1968.

[16] The oil crisis of the 1970s caused significant cost pressure on hovercraft operators due to the amount of kerosene used by the craft, and in 1979 Hoverlloyd was put up for sale as a condition of the bailout of then parent company Broström Shipping Group by the Swedish Government.

[18] The hoverport remained as an operational and maintenance base,[16] with administration taking place on site until October 1985, and engineering (particularly hovercraft overhauls) continuing until December 1987.

[23] In the mid-1990s the site was proposed to be the site of a major leisure complex with 250 holiday apartments, an indoor ski slope, ice rink, swimming pool, and other amenities, which was proposed to be part-funded with European Union development grants, and developed by Jimmy Godden who owned Dreamland Margate,[21][24] and permission was gained from John Gummer, then the Environment Secretary,[25][26] but negotiations broke down with Thanet District Council in 1996.