I used to live near a helicopter manufacturer that primarily did defense contracts, part of their site was a grass airfield that was owned by the MoD. I think

I used to live near a helicopter manufacturer that primarily did defense contracts, part of their site was a grass airfield that was owned by the MoD. I think it was part of the MoDs (or CAA maybe) requirements that the runway be tarmacked, I don't remember why but it was a legal requirement that it be done before 2030 or something. In the local Facebook group people (and a lot of them) were worried it would turn our town (40-50k population) into a international airport. The runway probably isn't long enough for large commercial turboprop aircraft. Definitely won't have 737s using it any time soon. That an the airfield had a main road at one end and a house estate at the other, way to close to be safe for a commercial airport I imagine.