PEOPLE who sold their land to allow RAF Upwood to expand in the 1950s can now buy it back, the Ministry of Defence has said. Some of the land on the former airfield near Ramsey has been declared surplus to requirements by the MOD and it is obliged by law

PEOPLE who sold their land to allow RAF Upwood to expand in the 1950s can now buy it back, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Some of the land on the former airfield near Ramsey has been declared surplus to requirements by the MOD and it is obliged by law to give the original owners or their descendant's first refusal.

However, sadly the land will be sold at its current market value, and not for the figure it was sold at some 60 years ago.

Former owners of the land must make contact with the MOD within two months from the placing of the last advert (in this instance before December 10).

The former owner or a successor is required to provide evidence of their status. If they do not come forward or do not wish to purchase, the land can be sold on the open market.

There are also 28 properties making up the married quarters on the RAF Upwood site, which will be offered on sale to the general public.

The land was declared surplus by the RAF this month. The homes had been lived by United States Air Force personnel.

The medical centre is not part of the handover will continue to operate.

An airfield near the site at Upwood goes back to 1917 when the Royal Flying Corps (which later became the Royal Air Force) requisitioned 160 acres of farmland.

A permanent airfield was built in the 1930s when war was expected. Flying stopped at Upwood in the 1960s and the site was then used for training.