Why later British carriers retained lifts near the centreline

Did concern about heavy seas explain near-centreline lifts in the 1952 fleet-carrier designs and CVA-01?

Yes. The concern was seawater entering the hangar, illustrated by the heavy seas encountered by British carriers in the South Atlantic.

Concern about seawater entering hangars helps explain near-centreline lifts in the 1952 fleet-carrier designs and CVA-01. Deck-edge openings expose the hangar to the heavy seas encountered in British operating areas. Photographs of Hermes and Invincible disappearing behind South Atlantic waves in 1982 illustrate the concern. Easier aircraft handling therefore did not settle the design choice on its own.