RAF Newton

The closure was a result of military consolidation and budget cuts following the end of the Cold War. As part of the UK Government's 'Options for Change' defence review in the 1990s, many military bases were deemed surplus to requirements. RAF Newton's training functions were rationalized and relocated to other RAF stations, leading to its eventual closure.

The former airfield and technical site have been extensively redeveloped. The majority of the site has been transformed into a large housing estate known as 'Newton Garden Village'. The runways and most taxiways have been removed to make way for hundreds of new homes, a primary school, and community facilities. Some original RAF buildings, such as the Officers' Mess, have been preserved and converted for residential or community use. A portion of the site is used as an industrial park and a large, secure vehicle storage facility. A small section of the former airfield is retained by Nottinghamshire Police for driver training purposes.

RAF Newton opened in September 1939, on the cusp of World War II. Its primary role during the war was as a training base within RAF Bomber Command. It was home to No. 1 Group, operating squadrons with aircraft like the Fairey Battle and later the Vickers Wellington. A significant part of its history is its connection with Polish forces; it housed the No. 16 (Polish) Service Flying Training School, which trained thousands of Polish airmen who had escaped to Britain to continue the fight against Germany. Post-war, the station transitioned into a major RAF training hub. It hosted the RAF School of Education, the RAF School of Administration, and for many years, the RAF Police School. It also served as the headquarters for various groups, including No. 12 Group, Fighter Command. In its final years, it was well-known as the home of the East Midlands Universities Air Squadron (EMUAS), providing elementary flight training to university students. Its official ICAO code when active was EGYN.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening RAF Newton as an airport. The comprehensive redevelopment of the site into a residential village, including the removal of key aviation infrastructure like the runways, makes any return to aviation operations infeasible.