Originally a grass airstrip, used to test aircraft built at Weybridge by Vickers the runway was converted to tarmac in 1952.

It has been generally believed and accepted that the government gave an undertaking to restore the land to its pre-war condition when it was returned to its original owners.

In May 1969, Wisley was chosen due to its proximity to London, as the arrival runway for the Daily Mail trans Atlantic race for the Royal Navy Phantom FG.1, piloted by Lt Cmdr Burrowman.

The local authorities, the Surrey County Council and the Guildford Borough Council, insisted that when the property was sold back to its pre-war owner, Lord Lytton, all the buildings and hard standings, including the runway, must be removed to ensure a return to its agricultural use before the war and to preserve the general policy of conserving the green belt.

More recently, after a good deal of discussion, these conditions were confirmed and a letter was sent by the PSA[a] on 15 November 1977 to the effect that Wisley Airfield would not be sold until both the buildings and the runway had been removed.

It was thus a great surprise to everybody when the axe fell on 13 July last year with a letter from the PSA stating that the sale would be made with the runway still in situ.

In March 2010, the then-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, gave permission to Wharf Land Investments to build a large composting facility on the former airfield but so far this has not been constructed.

Local residents and nearby visitor attractions including RHS Garden, Wisley had raised concerns over the daily level of traffic that would visit the plant.