Future uncertain for Derby WWII heritage site amid demolition fears

Derby WWII heritage site faces uncertain future as demolition fears emerge for the RAF Alvaston building. The RAF is “considering a range of options” at the site on Quintin Road, where the last remaining 1940s Royal Air Force structure is currently used by the 126 (City of Derby) Squadron Air Training Corps and previously linked to the 918 Balloon Squadron’s barrage balloon defenses. A RAF veteran said the building has been earmarked for demolition, while the East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association stated no decision has yet been made. Derby Civic Society chair Ashley Waterhouse said the site reflects Derby’s strategic wartime role, including protection of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine factory, and cited an incident on 27 July 1942 involving a Dornier bomber. The building’s future affects current teaching activity for youth programs after the postwar Air Training Corps and Royal Observer Corps use.