Manchester Woodford Airport

The closure was a direct result of economic decisions made by its owner, BAE Systems, following the cancellation of a major government contract. In the UK's 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the government cancelled the BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft programme, which was the primary project at the Woodford site. With no further large-scale aircraft manufacturing or modification programmes scheduled for the facility, BAE Systems deemed the site economically unviable and announced its closure as part of a wider company restructuring.

The site is no longer an airport and has been comprehensively redeveloped. After its closure, the land was sold to Harrow Estates and is being developed by Redrow Homes into a large residential community known as 'Woodford Garden Village'. The project includes thousands of new homes, a primary school, commercial spaces, and extensive public green areas. The runway and most of the aviation infrastructure have been removed. However, a key part of the site's heritage has been preserved: the former airfield fire station has been converted into the Avro Heritage Museum, which opened in 2015. The museum commemorates the site's history and features numerous exhibits, including the cockpit section of Vulcan bomber XM603.

Woodford Aerodrome (correct ICAO: EGCD) was a site of immense historical importance to the British aviation industry for over 87 years. Opened in 1924 by Alliott Verdon Roe, it became the main design, manufacturing, and flight test centre for Avro and its successors (Hawker Siddeley, British Aerospace, and BAE Systems).

Key Operations and Aircraft:
- **World War II:** It was a crucial production facility, assembling thousands of aircraft for the war effort, most notably the Avro Anson, the twin-engined Avro Manchester, and its legendary successor, the Avro Lancaster bomber. Over 3,000 Lancasters were built or assembled at Woodford.
- **Cold War:** The site was at the forefront of Cold War aviation technology. It was the birthplace of the Avro Shackleton maritime patrol aircraft and, most famously, the iconic Avro Vulcan V-bomber, a cornerstone of the UK's nuclear deterrent. The distinctive delta-winged Vulcan's test flights and production were synonymous with Woodford.
- **Modern Era:** In later years, the facility was responsible for the assembly of the BAe 146 regional jetliner (also known as the Avro RJ) and the development and modification of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, a derivative of the de Havilland Comet. The final project was the ultimately cancelled Nimrod MRA4.

For decades, Woodford was not just a factory but a complete aerodrome with a runway for test flights and deliveries, and it hosted a popular annual airshow that attracted large crowds.

There are zero prospects for the site reopening as an airport. The land has been permanently repurposed for large-scale residential and community use. The physical infrastructure essential for aviation, including the runway and taxiways, has been demolished and built over as part of the Woodford Garden Village development, making any future return to aviation operations impossible.