CHANCES of a £2 billion international airport being built in Gwent now look set to depend on two factors - arguments over the capacity of neighbouring airports and the strength of local support.

While the Severnside Airport Company saw its plans mentioned in a government consultation document last week, the enthusiastic endorsement it will need to turn them into reality was not in evidence.

The government says that expansion of airport services in the Severnside area can be carried out at Cardiff and Bristol airports.

The Severnside Airport Company, originators of the Gwent scheme, say that even if Bristol and Cardiff grew to their fullest extent there would still be a huge demand to be met.

It remains to be seen whether the company will prove to have been correct. After the government published its consultation document last week, Severnside managing director Michael Stephen said it was now down to the people of Gwent to lobby for a scheme which would create tens of thousands of jobs.

They had to convince their MPs and other political representatives to campaign for the airport, he said.

Within hours of his statement, Monmouth MP Huw Edwards said Transport secretary Alistair Darling, who introduced the consultation document in the Commons, had 'killed off' the plan.

Although Severnside is mentioned in government papers as an option, Mr Darling made no reference to it in his Commons statement.

"The government has...opted to invest further in Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick or to build a completely new airport at Cliffe in north Kent," said Mr Edwards.

"Proposals for Severnside International Airport would also put at risk investment in regional airports within Wales.

"I am pleased the transport secretary has recognised the importance of established airports in Wales and the investment in smaller regional airports such as Swansea. "Airlines that are based at Cardiff International Airport have told me that they are firmly committed to their operations at Cardiff."

The Assembly has also virtually dismissed the Severnside idea. Transport minister Sue Essex said the Assembly had worked with Mr Darling's department in producing last week's document.

Mr Stephen said last week that the people of Gwent had a year in which to support the scheme, though the government deadline for responses to last week's document is November 30. So far, hardly anyone has expressed enthusiasm in public. Even opponents have been holding back formal criticism.

It seems likely that they are all waiting in the knowledge that what they are for or against is not going to happen.

But Mr Stephen says the government has confused Severnside's aims in believing that its plan would compete with Cardiff and Bristol; instead its intention was to share the load with Heathrow, Gatwick and Stan-stead.