The RAF left Chivenor (now a Royal Marine logistics base) because in 1991 I'd opted for a Civil Service posting to Barnstaple solely because it was near to Chivenor and the room I was to occcupy overlooked the approach. I'd been there on an ATC summer camp in about 1963.
The powers that be couldn't bear the thought that I'd spent (? wasted) many hours gazing out of the window at the Hawks etc flying by
.
The local rag mentioned that a Harrier Sqn might move in having left Germany but apart from a couple of weeks of an 'away' Harrier deployment including a Rapier set up just off the Tarka Trail at Fremington, that came to naught.
Regards
Chris