Silloth Airfiefd

Military downsizing. As a temporary airfield built for World War II, RAF Silloth was surplus to the requirements of the significantly reduced post-war Royal Air Force. Its closure was part of a widespread decommissioning of wartime airfields across the United Kingdom.

The site is no longer an airfield and has been extensively redeveloped. The former airfield is now a mixed-use area. A large portion is occupied by the Silloth Trading Estate (also known as Solway Coast Business Park), which houses various industrial and commercial businesses. Another significant part of the site is used by the Stanwix Park Holiday Centre, a large static caravan and leisure park. While most of the original buildings have been demolished, sections of the three runways and the perimeter track are still visible and have been repurposed as access roads for the industrial estate and holiday park or remain as derelict concrete strips. The rest of the land has largely returned to agricultural use.

RAF Silloth was a significant Royal Air Force station during World War II, primarily for training and maintenance. It opened in June 1939, initially housing No. 22 Maintenance Unit (MU), which was responsible for storing and preparing aircraft for active service. Its most crucial role began in 1940 when it became a major training base for RAF Coastal Command. It was home to No. 1 Operational Training Unit (OTU), training crews on aircraft such as the Lockheed Hudson and Bristol Beaufort. In 1942, this unit was re-designated as No. 6 (Coastal) OTU, where it specialized in training long-range fighter and general reconnaissance crews on Vickers Wellington bombers, including specialized training for operating the Leigh Light, a powerful airborne searchlight used to spot U-boats at night. The training conducted at Silloth was vital for the Battle of the Atlantic, contributing significantly to the Allied anti-submarine warfare effort.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Silloth Airfield as a functional airport. The site is heavily developed with industrial units and a large holiday park, and the remaining runway infrastructure is in a state of disrepair. The economic and logistical challenges of clearing the current developments and rebuilding the necessary aviation infrastructure make any such proposal entirely unfeasible.