Indeed. Any existing airfield qualifies as 'brownfield' (thank you John Prescott) and therefore easy for a developer to get planning for a few thousand little boxes at inflated prices, and so higher profit for MOD. Getting permission for change of use from agricultural to a community friendly grass airfield (and therefore no likelihood of commercial operation) is a big
PR exercise, but a far lower cost per acre. With a friendly aviation minded landowner and a very long lease, even more affordable. Godd luck in their search.