More than eighty years after RAF Downham Market opened, another chapter in the story of the former airfield may be about to begin. But this change could also mark the beginning of the end for the remaining evidence of its wartime past?
Recent groundworks and excavations on the eastern side of the A10, around the former technical area, have raised questions about what might happen next. Is this simply preparation for a new industrial development, or could it be the start of something much larger?
The trenches crossing the former main runway. The new memorial is off to the left.
We know from previous developments that these ‘archaeological trenches’ are the forerunner of new developments, designed to establish the presence of any historically important features that may lay buried beneath the surface. And whilst at present, there are no confirmed plans to redevelop the entire former technical area, the available planning information suggests that further change is a real possibility.
A new industrial landscape
The Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk has allocated land at Bexwell Business Park for “employment and industrial use”. This is not a housing proposal. The Council’s adopted Local Plan identifies approximately 20 hectares of remaining land within the wider employment allocation.
The parachute room with heating vent.
In June 2026, planning permission was granted for 14 new industrial units on land west of Karoo Close. The development includes associated access and parking and is intended for industrial, storage and distribution uses.
That is the confirmed position. But the 14 units are only one scheme within a much larger area identified for employment development.
It would be wrong to suggest that permission has been granted to build across all the remaining land. Equally, it would be unwise to assume that the present development will be the last. The town itself has, like many towns across the country, been subjected to huge housing developments, and this is just another part of that process.
The question is now, whether or not these works are the first visible signs of a longer-term transformation of the former airfield.
More trenches. The buildings in the background are on the former technical site.
What will happen to the wartime buildings?
The long term concern is for the airfield, its remaining buildings and what will become of them.
The former technical area was an essential part of the wartime station. This was where aircraft equipment was stored, repairs and maintenance were carried out, and the ground organisation supported the aircrews and their operations.
Much has disappeared since the station closed in 1946, and many of those that are left are crumbling. In some cases walls are separating rendering them dangerous to the public. Yet a number of structures are still in reasonable condition. Of those that are left, they include the former Main Stores, Crew Locker and Drying Room, Link Trainer and transformer installation, together with other buildings associated with the technical site.
The crew locker room. The grassed area is where crews would wait, before a mission, ready to transfer to their respective aircraft.
Today, some stand within or alongside the modern business park. They may no longer look like parts of an RAF station, but their historical significance, design and shape has not disappeared.
There is currently no evidence that these surviving buildings are being cleared for demolition as part of the approved 14-unit scheme. Nor have I found an official proposal to demolish the technical area as a whole. However, there is also nothing to say they won’t.
Nevertheless, if further industrial development comes forward on adjoining land, the surviving buildings and other traces of the station could face increasing pressure. New buildings, roads, parking and infrastructure may change the setting of the old structures, even where the buildings themselves remain.
What are the excavations telling us?
The recent groundworks have also raised the question of archaeology.
Archaeological investigation is often required before major construction begins, particularly on land with a significant history. Excavations can identify buried foundations, concrete surfaces, drainage systems and other features that have survived beneath later development or agricultural use.
The former RAF station is certainly a site where such remains may exist. There may also be evidence of activity from much earlier periods. We know from previous excavations on other areas of the airfield that have now been developed, that Anglo Saxon and wartime artefacts, were discovered but were deemed as insignificant.
However, I have not been able to establish conclusively that the particular excavations currently visible are the archaeological work required for the new industrial units. Their appearance alone cannot prove that connection.
Inside the crew locker room. The far door is a modern addition.
It is reasonable to think that the work signals preparation for further development, but we must wait for documentary evidence before stating that this is what is happening.
The end of an era?
RAF Downham Market was an important part of Britain’s wartime air effort, later becoming associated with the Pathfinder Force and No. 635 Squadron. The station’s crews and ground personnel formed part of a much larger story of operations, sacrifice and service. Two airmen based at Downham were each awarded the Victoria Cross, almost unprecedented in wartime history.
Today, the landscape is very different. Fields, roads, businesses and modern development have replaced much of the airfield that wartime personnel would have recognised.
The surviving technical buildings are therefore more than old structures. They provide a physical link to the station’s working life and help us understand how the airfield operated.
Industrial development is not unusual on former RAF stations, and the needs of a modern community must be recognised. But there is also a responsibility to identify and record the historic remains before they are lost.
The current situation presents an opportunity to do that properly.
The wider allocation makes further development possible, but it does not establish exactly where or when it will happen, or which historic buildings might be affected.
So, is this the final nail in the coffin for Downham Market’s remaining wartime airfield?
It is too early to say. There is no evidence that the technical area is about to be demolished, but the landscape is changing and further industrial development remains a possibility.
For those of us who value the history of RAF Downham Market, the important thing is to watch what happens next, establish the facts and ensure that the remaining evidence of the station is properly recorded.
Once a wartime building or archaeological feature has been lost, it cannot simply be replaced.
Is the writing on the wall for these historic buildings?
The airfield has already surrendered much of its past to the passage of time. Whether the surviving remains can continue to tell their story alongside the new industrial landscape is a question that deserves attention.
Sources and further information
Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk – Adopted Local Plan: https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/homepage/257/adopted_local_plan
Planning application 25/00262/FM – Land West of Karoo Close, Bexwell Business Park. Search for the application number through the Council’s official planning portal: https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/info/20077/planning_applications/111/view_and_track_planning_applications
Borough Council – Local Plan examination documents: https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/local-plan-review-examination
This article reflects the information available in October 2026.
