Progress on 'desperately needed' base for GWAAC

PUBLISHED: 15:53 12 November 2017

Building work began on November 8. Picture: Tammy Lynn Kwan.

Tammy Lynn Kwan

The air ambulance  and national police helicopter service will share a new base from  next year - and construction work has  now begun.

Building work got underway on Wednesday at the new site near Almondsbury.

The two organisations, which cover North Somerset, are based at Filton Airfield but need  to move as BAE Systems has sold the site. In return, the company bought the new airfield near Almonsbury off the A38 for them.

GWAAC chief executive Anna Perry said: “Everyone at GWAAC is pleased that work is beginning.

“The charity is desperately in need of a modern air base and this great location will mean that even when we cannot fly, our doctors and paramedics can get to patients quickly in our critical care car.”

The first six months of 2017 were the busiest in GWAAC’s history as it attended 917 incidents, including more than 100 in North Somerset.