How ASW cruisers became through-deck carriers

How did the Royal Navy arrive at the through-deck cruiser?

An allowed ASW-cruiser concept evolved after the 1966 policy shift into a through-deck ship and eventually an aircraft carrier.

After the 1966-67 policy shift ended Britain's planned east-of-Suez carrier posture, conventional carrier proposals became politically difficult. The Royal Navy was still permitted to pursue anti-submarine warfare cruisers. That concept expanded into a ship with a full-length flight deck and ultimately into an aircraft carrier. Several naval architects involved in the project reportedly used the through-deck-cruiser label during this evolution.