THE US Navy is to move out of High Wycombe's RAF Daws Hill, bringing to an end 60 years of military use on the site.

And their departure could pave the way for housing development on the 50-acre site, currently owned by the Ministry of Defence. Up to 600 new homes could be accommodated on the land.

The American withdrawal is bad news for people living along Daws Hill Lane, who have already fought and won one battle against development at nearby Abbey Barn South. Wycombe District Council had wanted to designate that area as suitable for housing but withdrew in the face of strong opposition.

Leafy Daws Hill Lane, lined with big houses and traffic calming measures, is already used as a rat run to get from Marlow Hill to the London Road and residents fear it could buckle under the strain of more traffic generated by new housing.

Daws Hill Lane resident John Merrett, who battled against the Abbey Barn proposal, admitted there was a great need for more houses in the area, but added: "The infrastructure wouldn't take it. Daws Hill Lane is chocka in the morning and at night. You want to see it."

The news that the Americans are going, provided agreement is reached between the US Navy and the MOD, was broken in a letter to Wycombe MP Paul Goodman this week from Lewis Moonie, Under Secretary of State for defence.

The MOD had been reviewing the use of its sites in the London area, including the US Navy's occupation of MOD sites. The bulk of the US Navy's work could be moved to RAF Uxbridge.

"The brownfield sites released will be available for alternative civilian development," said Dr Moonie.

The land at RAF Daws Hill was brought by the MOD from Wycombe Abbey School in 1942. It became the HQ of the American Air Force in the UK.

Now it is used by the US Navy for storage and is described as under-used, though there are also an American school, 70 houses, a bank of garages, shop, bowling alley and club on site.

If the MOD sells Daws Hill, Wycombe Abbey School would be given first refusal but would have to pay the market rate for the land. The nuclear bunker on the site would have be transferred back to the school at no cost. The Carington family own a small part of the site and would also be offered first refusal.

But Wycombe District Council has long been eyeing up the land.

The council needs to find space for 400 new homes before 2011. Building at Daws Hill would effectively wipe out the need to find other sites.

The area is about the same size as the site at Wycombe Marsh where 450 homes and business units are planned.

Ian Bates, county councillor for Bowerdean and Daws Hill, said the idea had been going the rounds for a long time but conceded traffic was the problem.

"It would increase traffic in what is a relatively quiet road. Either the number of cars had to be reduced or the roads improved," he said.

Julia Wassell, county councillor for Keep Hill, said she would prefer the site be used as a new campus for the university.

... and it's the end of 60-year occupation

WHEN the last Americans leave RAF Daws Hill they will end 60 years of an on-off American presence on the High Wycombe base.

The first American forces came to the town in the early months of 1942 after the USA entered the war.

Wycombe Abbey School was given three weeks to find alternative accommodation but unable to find any, the school disbanded and only reformed when the Americans handed back Wycombe Abbey in 1945.

However, US forces returned to Daws Hill House, now known as RAF Daws Hill, in 1952.

Over that time the importance of the base fluctuated. It was run down several times only for activities to increase again during the cold war.

In 1969, the use of the base was reduced as many of the 800 personnel were withdrawn. By the early 1970s only a small caretaker group remained at the base.

In 1975, however, American servicemen moved back in and Daws Hill became pivotal to American forces in Europe.

Reports in the late 1970s and into the 1980s identified the base as a war headquarters for US forces in Europe.

High-tech communications and computer equipment were installed.

Staff working deep in Daws Hill in a 23,000 square feet nuclear bunker would have directed nuclear bombers to their targets and controlled cruise missiles.

One walker reported hearing the hill 'humm' on a summer's evening in the 1980s.

The ending of the cold war saw another winding down of activity at the base.

By 1992 there were 225 American military staff and 116 defence department employees working there when the base's strength was reduced again.

Now the base is home to a small number of American families.

The London Central High School, a boarding school for servicemen's children has been there for many years and if the base does close the school would have to move from its site to one of the American sites in north London.

The base is used by the US Navy to service vehicles and also has warehousing facilities, a post exchange, a bank, bowling alley, American shop and social club.

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