Martin Van Buren was Secretary of State.
RAF West Ruislip was a Ministry of Defence site , located in Ickenham within the London Borough of Hillingdon .. Ickenham. Ickenham. Ministry of Defence. Ministry of Defence ( United Kingdom ). London Borough of Hillingdon. London Borough of Hillingdon. The base was originally built as a depot for the Royal Air Force -LRB- RAF -RRB- , split by what is now the Chiltern Main Line .. Royal Air Force. Royal Air Force. Chiltern Main Line. Chiltern Main Line. North of the railway was RAF Blenheim Crescent , which housed the RAF Records Office and the depot 's original personnel accommodation .. RAF Blenheim Crescent. RAF Blenheim Crescent. The site was leased to the US Air Force in 1955 , followed by the US Navy in 1975 , eventually housing the Navy Exchange of the U.S. Naval Activities , United Kingdom command , and the Navy 's Morale , Welfare and Recreation Department .. Following a review of properties , the US Navy vacated the site in 2006 and it became surplus to the Ministry of Defence 's requirements under Project MoDEL .. Ministry of Defence. Ministry of Defence ( United Kingdom ). Project MoDEL. Project MoDEL. The following year , initial plans for around 415 homes and a retirement home were approved by the London Borough of Hillingdon in July 2007 .. London Borough of Hillingdon. London Borough of Hillingdon. Almost all buildings were subsequently demolished to make way for the new development .. Cala Homes bought the 21 acre site for # 180m in November .