Air ambulance service confirms new base plan

An air ambulance service has confirmed plans to create a purpose-built base for its operations.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) said its Northern Air Support Unit would be located on the outskirts of Skipton on Swale about 3.5 miles (5.6km) from its current home at RAF Topcliffe.

The charity said the new base would help it advance its capabilities and ensure its crews could operate at the highest level in the future.

Chairman of the service, Mike Harrop, said it was an "important step in securing the future" of the lifesaving service.

YAA operates a fleet of advanced Airbus H145 helicopters, serving a population of five million people across four million acres.

The charity relies entirely on public donations for its operating costs.

The YAA has operated as a tenant at RAF Topcliffe for over a decade, but said the purchase of land for its proposed new base would provide stability for its work.

It said the facility at Skipton on Swale would enable the YAA’s critical care team to continue providing a rapid response to patients within 20 minutes, which it said was vital to saving lives.

Mr Harrop said: “While this project is still in its early stages, it represents our commitment to providing the very best resources for our crews and patients across Yorkshire.”

He said it would have not been possible without the "ongoing support" of their donors.

Although a planning application has not been submitted yet, the YAA said it had engaged with the parish council in Skipton on Swale and North Yorkshire Council.

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