Catalogue description Ministry of Civil Aviation and successors: Aerodromes Group: Records

Upon the formation of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, an Aerodromes Division was formed to deal with matters relating to the licensing, inspection and regulation of airports and aerodromes and any attendant financial and legal matters. The Aerodromes Division was divided into four sub-divisions, Divisions A and B dealt with questions on land matters affecting aerodromes, the acquisition and disposal of land and buildings, rights of way, rehousing of persons displaced by aerodrome development and related compensation, capital investment etc. Aerodromes C Division dealt with the premises at London (Heathrow) Airport, and the Aerodromes D Division dealt with licensing policy, administration etc. at non-State aerodromes.

This structure survived under the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, but towards the end of their administration the functions were distributed between three Aerodromes Planning Divisions, A, B and C, and an Aerodromes Estate Management Division. Upon the formation of the Ministry of Aviation in 1959 the functions were again re-distributed to Aerodromes Planning and Aerodromes Management Divisions, neither of whose files are represented in this series.