THE Friends of Kenley Airfield are delighted after getting a step closer to securing a £1million grant for the restoration of its Second World War blast pens.
Along with City of London Corporation, which is responsible for the upkeep of the site, and English Heritage, the group has secured £56,000 to start organising the redevelopment of the airfield this year.
The partnership will use the money to bring in experts to secure the £1million grant from the English Heritage Lottery and start work on the ground before the summer of 2015, to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Chris Bagluey, chairman of the Friends group, described the historical importance of the blast pens.
"The were built in 1939. The idea was that aircraft sat in them and if a bomb landed nearby, the impact and debris shot upwards over them so they were not damaged.
"In 2003, English Heritage categorised them as ancient monuments, which meant the owner was obliged to pay for their upkeep.
"However, it is hugely expensive to do so, and we as a group are very keen to see them restored to their former glory, so we decided to work together with the City of London Corporation to secure the funding."
Mr Bagluey said the money would rebuild the structures as they were in 1939, and attract the public to come and take an interest in them with an educational programme.
John Park, who works for City of London Corporation, said Kenley was the "most complete surviving Battle of Britain airfield".
"Its active phase began in 1917, and ended in 1959, when RAF Fighter Command left the aerodrome," he explained.
During the Second World War, RAF Kenley was one of the crucial stations protecting London during the Battle of Britain.
It was so badly attacked in August 1940 that three of the remaining four hangars, the equipment stores and four Hurricane fighters and a Blenheim bomber were destroyed.
Four other planes were damaged, the runways were badly cratered, nine people were killed and a another nineteen injured.
A City of London Corporation report has found that : "The World War Two features are quickly deteriorating due to their age and the poor quality of materials used in their construction and are on the Heritage At-Risk Register.
"Those who remember Kenley during the war and could contribute to a living archive of memories are also becoming fewer.
"The historic landscape of Kenley Airfield and its associated features are of national significance. By conserving them, the project would be providing a service to London and the nation."