Oakington

As tension in Europe mounted, the UK Air Ministry requistioned land near Long Stanton and Oakington in Cambridgeshire in 1938 and began building RAF Oakington in summer 1939. The grass runways caused operational problems for the bomber units there. By 1941 concrete runway construction had begun and three had been completed by the end of 1942.  It was handed over to RAF Transport Command in spring 1946 and in late 1950 to RAF Training Command.

Around 1975, the Army took over the site as a barracks.  Most of the concrete runways were dug up for re-use in building the nearby M11 motorway.  The 1st Bn Royal Anglian Regiment departed Oakington for North Luffenham in 1999 and the base was closed.  The married quarters were sold off and in 2000 part of the site became an immigration reception centre.  The government has announced plans to re-develop the whole site as Northstowe, a model eco-town for Cambridge commuters.