125 years ago no one thought there would ever be such things as airports. An aerodrome was then built on a small part of the site during 1914 to 1918 which became derelict after 1918. Then it was opened as a private aerodrome in 1929, and then expanded to it present size but only for military purposes during the World War. It became London's passenger airport after the war. It was just a set of tents along the A4 in 1946, which gradually expanded to its present layout over the past seventy years, on very much a piece meal basis, with each development thought to be the "state of the art". Various projects relating to the airport have been seriously considered but aborted. No one can say for certain how the airport will develop in the future.