Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s move from Leeds Bradford Airport to Nostell Estate
Yorkshire Air Ambulance's two helicopters in flight
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance will fly from a new base on the Nostell Estate next summer.
The service will move from its current home at Leeds Bradford Airport after being awarded planning permission to convert a former nursery warehouse.
It will run one of its two helicopters from the site off Doncaster Road, improving its response times for the region.
In August the Express revealed that the charity was looking to relocate to Nostell, while also keeping its second base at RAF Topcliffe, near Thirsk.
This week, in a statement the charity said: “The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is delighted that Wakefield Council has granted planning permission for the charity to develop a new airbase on the currently vacant site at the Nostell Priory Roses Building, within the Nostell Estate near Wakefield.
“The charity had been looking to further enhance the service they currently provide across the region, and the Nostell Priory Roses Building was identified as a potential new location for the airbase.
“The new site will provide a dedicated airbase for one of the two YAA helicopters and include hangar space, office facilities, and accommodation for aircrew.
“The helicopter will be relocated from its existing base at Leeds Bradford International Airport whilst the second air ambulance continues to operate from its base at RAF Topcliffe in North Yorkshire.
“The charity will operate from the new base at Nostell in daylight hours only, as specified by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines, and hope to be operational by summer 2013.”
Plans, approved by Wakefield Council, include converting an empty warehouse into a hangar to keep the helicopter overnight, forming a landing pad and fuel area and creating office space, a canteen and rest areas for up to five crew members.
In the design and access statement, agent David Boulton of Carter Jonas, said the current two bases provided “inadequate coverage” across the region, with airspace demands at Leeds Bradford adding 10 minutes to both take off and landing times.
He said: “This proposal would provide a long-term base which would have a notable and positive impact.”
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Weather for Wakefield
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North
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