Birkdale Sands Beach Runway

Cessation of use was due to a combination of factors rather than a single closure event. These include: the implementation of stricter aviation safety regulations which made informal beach operations unviable; the development of formal, all-weather airports nearby (e.g., Liverpool and Blackpool); the lack of permanent infrastructure; and the increasing use of the beach for public recreation and nature conservation.

The site is a public beach, part of the larger Southport Beach. It is a popular area for tourism, walking, and recreational activities, most notably land-sailing (sand yachting). The area is also part of the Sefton Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a protected nature reserve known for its dune systems and wildlife.

The site, known as Southport Sands or Birkdale Sands, has significant aviation history despite never being a formal airport. In the early 20th century, it was a venue for aviation pioneers and hosted popular 'joy flights' for tourists. During World War II, the vast, firm sands served as an emergency landing strip for aircraft from the nearby RAF Woodvale. Its most famous event occurred on July 1, 1942, when a US Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress, the 'Berlin Sleeper', made the first B-17 emergency landing in the UK on the beach. The ICAO code 'GB-1230' is an unofficial identifier, not recognized by the ICAO or UK CAA, and appears to have been created for flight simulator software to represent this historic location.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the site for any form of aviation. Its status as a major public recreational area and a legally protected nature reserve makes any such development environmentally, legally, and logistically unfeasible.