I've never even heard of Binbrook, but Damien is correct in his assertion that (at least some) old bases can be converted into civilian housing without bulldozing everything in sight. The effort to convert the former Canadian Forces Base Calgary resulted in a development called "Garrison Woods", which was apparently quite successful and retains many of the original buildings (I would like to say most, but I don't know that for a fact). See further
here,
here and
here.