RAF West Ruislip

RAF West Ruislip
Ickenham, Middlesex
Aerial view of RAF West Ruislip in 1945 - RAF Blenheim Crescent is to the north-east of the railway line
Coordinates51°34′7.58″N 000°26′15.80″W / 51.5687722°N 0.4377222°W / 51.5687722; -0.4377222
TypeMaintenance and administrative
Site information
ConditionDemolished
Site history
Built1917
Built byAmerican Construction Company
Demolished2007
Garrison information
Past
commanders
Lieutenant Commander H. Lee (first)
OccupantsNo. 4 Maintenance Unit (RAF)
RAF Records Office
Navy Exchange of U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom
US Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department

RAF West Ruislip was a Ministry of Defence site, located in Ickenham within the London Borough of Hillingdon. The base was originally built as a depot for the Royal Air Force (RAF), split by what is now the Chiltern Main Line. North of the railway was RAF Blenheim Crescent,[1] which housed the RAF Records Office and the depot's original personnel accommodation.

The site was leased to the US Air Force in 1955, followed by the US Navy in 1975, eventually housing the Navy Exchange of the U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom command,[2] and the Navy's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department.[3]

Following a review of properties, the US Navy vacated the site in 2006 and it became surplus to the Ministry of Defence's requirements under Project MoDEL. The following year, initial plans for around 415 homes and a retirement home were approved by the London Borough of Hillingdon in July 2007.[4] Almost all buildings were subsequently demolished to make way for the new development.[5] Cala Homes bought the 21-acre (85,000 m2) site for £180m in November.[6]

  1. ^ "RAF West Ruislip" (PDF). London Borough of Hillingdon. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  2. ^ "London, UK". Global Security. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Francis 31 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "London Borough of Hillingdon approves plans for the redevelopment of RAF West Ruislip" (PDF). VSM Estates. 13 July 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  5. ^ "RAF West Ruislip". VSM Estates. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  6. ^ "Cala Acquires West Ruislip RAF Site For Record £180M Housing Development". Cala Homes. 14 December 2007. Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.