Cornwall's air ambulance makes new base plans
- Published
The current air ambulance can fly to any part of Cornwall within 20 minutes
Cornwall's air ambulance trust has submitted a planning application to Cornwall Council for a new base on the outskirts of Newquay Airport.
The proposed purpose-built development would house the helicopter, as well as operational and fundraising teams.
It would also provide accommodation for its clinical team which is currently working out of temporary buildings at its current landing pad at the airport.
If approved, the charity said it hoped to get grant funding for the project.
24-hour service
The project is just in its feasibility stage at the moment, but the charity said a permanent new home for the helicopter would help safeguard the operations of the air ambulance, and provide a sustainable home for the helicopter in the future.
The new base would give the charity the future option of having two aircraft or running a 24-hour service, it added.
The service has flown nearly 22,000 missions since it began in 1987.
Its current aircraft, a Eurocopter EC135, can fly to any part of the county within 20 minutes and reach the Isles of Scilly in about 28 minutes.