Redevelopment
The former married quarters were transferred to the MoDs preferred property agents - Annington Homes, who started the lengthy process of upgrading the former military housing into civilian houses for sale on the open market.
During January 2007, the Home Office expressed an interest in the site, and in early February earmarked it for potential use as an immigration detention facility, but this was subsequently ruled out.
In July 2007, a petition was set up on the 10 Downing St website by Jeremy Godwin to campaign for Coltishall to be reopened as a Civil Airfield.
In December 2007, fresh reports in the media suggested the site would be used as a prison, but this angered local residents who had not been informed of the disposal progress.
In January 2009, a plan to build a Category C prison at the site was approved by North Norfolk District Council. The entire site is now under the temporary control of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), and as of October 2009, building works on converting all of the former H-blocks is near completion, along with the completion of the dual perimeter fences, and a new access road. The new establishment will be known as HMP Bure, named after a nearby river, and will house 500 male sex offenders.
On 19 July 2010, North Norfolk District Council proposed that the entire site should be designated as a Conservation Area because of its historical and architectural interest http://www.northnorfolk.org/planning/7083.asp
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