Whitchurch (Hengrove) Aerodrome

The airport was closed due to its inability to accommodate the larger, heavier aircraft of the post-war era. Its grass runways were too short, and its location within a growing suburban area of Bristol prevented any significant expansion or the construction of longer, concrete runways. It was officially replaced by the current Bristol Airport, which opened at a former RAF base in Lulsgate, offering a more suitable location with longer runways and clearer approaches.

The former airfield site has been completely redeveloped. The area is now a large suburban district of South Bristol, primarily consisting of Hengrove Park (a large public open space), the South Bristol Community Hospital, Hengrove Park Leisure Centre, a large cinema complex, and extensive housing estates. The original 1930s terminal building, a Grade II listed structure, has been preserved. It has been restored and now serves as a community and business hub, with the original 'BRISTOL AIRPORT' lettering still visible on its historic facade.

Whitchurch Aerodrome holds significant historical importance in British aviation. Opened in 1930, it was one of the UK's first purpose-built municipal airports. Before WWII, it was a key hub for airlines like Imperial Airways and Railway Air Services, connecting Bristol to London, Cardiff, and Paris. During World War II, the airport was requisitioned as RAF Whitchurch and became a vital national asset. It served as the main operating base for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) for its flights to neutral territories, most famously the 'Lisbon Run', which maintained a crucial link to the outside world. The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) also used it extensively to ferry new and repaired aircraft. Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously used the airport for many of his secret wartime flights abroad. After the war, it resumed its role as Bristol's primary civil airport until its operational limitations led to its closure.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The land has been fully redeveloped over many decades with residential, healthcare, commercial, and leisure facilities. Its location is now in the heart of a dense suburban area, making any future aviation activity completely unfeasible.