▁the ▁air field ▁remained ▁in ▁a ▁der el ict ▁state ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁finally ▁sold ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁approximately ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁a ▁large ▁proportion ▁of ▁the ▁" dom estic " ▁site ▁was ▁re - develop ed ▁as ▁a ▁short ▁term ▁housing ▁estate , ▁renamed ▁" St one ▁Cross ▁Est ate ", ▁which ▁finally ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁The ▁air field ▁remained ▁almost ▁int act ▁until ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Down ham ▁Market ▁by - pass ▁( A 1 0 ) ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁when ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁run ways ▁/ ▁tax i ways ▁were ▁used ▁as ▁hard ▁core ▁for ▁the ▁road ▁project . ▁Today ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁site ▁has ▁been ▁returned ▁to ▁agricult ure , ▁with ▁the ▁technical ▁site ▁becoming ▁an ▁industrial ▁estate . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁an ▁un mann ed ▁radio ▁relay ▁station ▁located ▁in ▁one ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁base . ▁Ad j acent ▁to ▁St ▁Mary ' s ▁Church , ▁B ex well , ▁and ▁opposite ▁the ▁former ▁guard room , ▁is ▁a ▁small ▁pla que ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁station ' s ▁existence . ▁All ▁the ▁run ways ▁have ▁now ▁been ▁removed . ▁There ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁small ▁section ▁remaining ▁alongside ▁the ▁A 1 0 ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁A 1 3 4 ▁round about ▁but ▁that ▁was ▁removed ▁during ▁the ▁latter ▁half ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁A ▁large ▁metal ▁tower , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁a