Croydon Airport

The closure of Croydon Airport was primarily due to its inability to accommodate the larger, heavier, and faster aircraft that emerged after World War II, such as the Douglas DC-4 and the new generation of jet airliners. Its grass runways were too short, and its location, surrounded by the growing suburbs of South London, made runway extension and major expansion physically and politically impossible. The airport's role as London's primary international gateway was gradually superseded by London Airport (now Heathrow) and Gatwick Airport, which were developed with long, concrete runways and modern facilities capable of handling the future of air travel. By the late 1950s, traffic had dwindled to a few remaining charter and scheduled flights, making it economically unviable to keep open.

The former airport site has been extensively redeveloped. The majority of the airfield land is now the Roundshaw housing estate, built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, along with parks, schools, and a commercial/industrial area. However, significant heritage elements have been preserved. The iconic Grade II* listed terminal building, known as Airport House, still stands and functions as a business centre. The original Air Traffic Control Tower, the world's first, is part of this building and houses the Croydon Airport Visitor Centre, a small museum dedicated to the airport's history. The former gatehouse on Purley Way also survives. A preserved de Havilland Heron aircraft, which was one of the last types of airliners to fly from Croydon, is displayed near Airport House as a monument to the site's aviation past.

Croydon Airport holds a pivotal place in aviation history. It was established on 29 March 1920 by merging two adjacent World War I airfields, Beddington Aerodrome and Waddon Aerodrome. It became London's main, and the UK's only, international airport during the inter-war period, serving as the hub for all international air travel to and from the capital. It was the base for Imperial Airways, the forerunner to British Airways (BA), and handled pioneering long-haul routes to destinations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Australia. The airport is globally recognized for developing the world's first purpose-built air traffic control tower and terminal building (opened in 1928), which introduced many foundational concepts of modern air traffic management, including radio communication for position reporting, weather broadcasts, and air traffic instructions. It was the departure point for many famous aviators and record-breaking flights, most notably Amy Johnson's solo flight to Australia in 1930. During World War II, it was repurposed as RAF Croydon, a vital fighter station in No. 11 Group, Fighter Command, playing a crucial role during the Battle of Britain.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Croydon Airport. The land has been completely redeveloped for residential, commercial, and recreational use for over 60 years. Its location within a densely populated urban area of Greater London, combined with the complete removal of all aviation infrastructure such as runways and taxiways, makes any future aviation use impossible.