Air ambulance to move to new base (From York Press)

Yorkshire Air ambulance to move to new base

8:16am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News

THE air ambulance charity which covers North Yorkshire is to move from its current base at Leeds Bradford International Airport because of growing airspace demands.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance said take-offs and landings at the airport were being delayed by increases in air traffic and its helicopter, which has been based there since the charity was formed 12 years ago, will be based at the Nostell Estate in Wakefield from next summer.

An empty warehouse will be converted into a hangar to keep the helicopter overnight and a landing pad, fuel area and office space will also be created, with a planning application for the scheme having been submitted to Wakefield District Council.

In a statement, the service said: “The Yorkshire Air Ambulance will continue to provide a state-of-the-art rapid response emergency medical service across the region every day of the year.”

Its second base at RAF Topcliffe, near Thirsk, will be maintained.