News

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity secures planning permission for new airbase and HQ

Acting on behalf of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, we have secured planning permission from Shropshire Council for a purpose-built airbase and charity headquarters.

The proposed development includes a final approach and take off area (FATO), helicopter hangar, offices, aircrew accommodation, and a state-of-the-art clinical training simulation suite in Cosford, Shropshire. 

We were appointed in January 2020 to support the charity in seeking planning permission for the development. We worked proactively in consultation with Shropshire Council and engaged with the local community, stakeholders, and elected members to make the comprehensive case for the scheme.

Due to the benefits of the development on future advanced patient care, the significant need for the new site within the local region, and the development’s limited impact on the surrounding area, a site search process confirmed Cosford provided the best location for the charity’s new headquarters.

We submitted the full planning application in October 2020. Shropshire Council granted full planning permission with no pre-commencement conditions in January 2021. Work is scheduled to start in spring.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity joins the growing number of air ambulance organisations who have identified the needed to develop a purpose-built facility to ensure clinical and non-clinical working environments are futureproofed. 

The new airbase and headquarters will help to address a number of challenges facing the service. These include the annual rising demand for patient care on the scene; the increased complexity of patient needs requiring specialist skills, medicines and equipment; and the lack of sufficient training facilities for the critical care paramedics and pre-hospital emergency medicine doctors. 

Hanna Sebright, chief executive of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, states:

“Over our 30-year history, our charity has been driven by a commitment to continuously improve advanced pre-hospital patient care across the Midlands. 

“Our new airbase and charity headquarters will be a vital development for the whole of the Midlands region and will feature clinical training facilities, which are fundamental to delivering the advanced training programmes required for our clinicians.

“While following to RIBA’s Plan of Work stages, we have welcomed the support of Turley in the initial feasibility and planning phases for our new facility, and now look forward to the construction and completion of our new airbase and charity headquarters.”

Owen Francis, Director said:

“This was a complex project that we’re extremely proud to have been involved in. We built strong relationships with the client and Local Planning Authority very early on, which allowed us to really delve into the details of the importance of this project – which ultimately led to the council’s approval of the development.

“Following in-depth consultations, we had the full support of the parish council, local MPs and all statutory and non-statutory consultees. This was a great achievement that also demonstrated just how vital this new airbase and headquarters will be for the whole of the Midlands area.”

24 February 2021