The New Bases
Built to save minutes. Built to save lives.
Creating purpose-built airbases to help our crews respond faster, train better, and be ready for every emergency, from local incidents to critical care transfers for children across the UK.
Our New Home
The Big Bases Appeal will deliver two purpose-built air ambulance bases, one in the south and one in the north, securing the future of both Your Local Air Ambulance and the National Children’s Air Ambulance.
These bases are more than buildings.
They are mission-ready operational hubs, designed to help our crews prepare faster, respond sooner, and deliver life-saving care when every second count, for patients in our communities and critically ill children nationwide.
Why This Matters
When every minute matters, every mile matters, and every moment could help us save a life.
The time saved in a purpose-built base could mean:
- Our crews reaching a patient sooner
- Starting potentially life-saving treatments earlier
- Delivering an emergency patient to hospital care more rapidly
- Getting a critically ill baby or child to specialist care faster
When every second counts, those minutes can change outcomes — and save lives.
Two Bases. One Lifesaving Network.
Today, our services operate from multiple locations that were never designed for the demands of modern air ambulance operations.
The new bases will change that.
They will:
- Bring Your Local Air Ambulance and the National Children’s Air Ambulance together where it improves response
- Create permanent, secure homes for our helicopters and crews
- Improve efficiency while protecting response times
- Strengthen resilience for future growth and demand
By investing now, we are building a foundation that keeps both services ready to respond — now and in the future.
The New South Base
A future-ready hub for regional and national operations
The new South Base will become the shared home of:
- Your Local Air Ambulance (Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance)
- National Children’s Air Ambulance (South)
It will replace existing facilities that face closure or long-term uncertainty, while remaining within our operational area to protect response times and patient outcomes.
It will include:
- A purpose-built operational base bringing both services together
- A National Operations Centre for the National Children’s Air Ambulance, coordinating transfers for critically ill babies and children across the UK
- Dedicated clinical preparation and training spaces to keep skills sharp
- Modern welfare facilities to support crews between missions
- Family-friendly areas to support patients and loved ones
The New North Base
Strengthening life-saving care – In Development
We are developing a new home for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance. This state-of-the-art facility is designed in such a way that we will reach patients faster.
The site of the base will be geographically sited to improve our responses to the patients and counties we serve. Our investment will go beyond the building itself; we are investing in excellence for now and the future, with modern training and welfare spaces for the crews who save lives every day.
The base will become a key enabler of critical care for the Midlands and will operate 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
Designed Around Our Crews
Our crews operate in some of the most demanding conditions imaginable.
The new bases are designed around their needs — providing the right spaces for training, preparation, rest and recovery.
So when the call comes, they are ready to respond at their very best.
From Vision to Reality
Follow the journey from planning to first mission.
We’ll share progress from early design through to construction, fit-out, and the moment our crews respond from a new mission-ready base for the first time.
You’ll be able to track:
- Planning and design milestones
- Fundraising progress
- Construction phases
- Operational readiness
Follow the Build
See the bases take shape.
As construction begins, you’ll be able to follow progress through:
- Regular photo updates
- Video walkthroughs
- Live or time-lapse build footage, where available
This is your opportunity to see the impact of your support in real time.
Where the New Bases Will Be
Strategically located to efficiently serve our communities.
The new bases will be located within our operational areas to ensure:
- No loss of coverage for local communities
- Faster, more effective responses
- Effective national coordination for transfers delivered by the the National Children’s Air Ambulance
- Best outcomes for each of our patients
Explore the map below to see how these locations support our lifesaving work.
Base locations
FAQs (Base 1 South)
Not only will the local communities have quicker access to our services, we will also want to assist with community projects such as training events on the use of community defibrillators and provide open days.
We need to have a loaction that enables us to respond quickly and safely to the patients that need us. Being near a major motorway junction, and a geographical location is essential. In addition as we are a charity and not funded by the NHS, the site must provide value for money in order for us to sustain our future.
We are currently undertaking a Road Safety Audit, and are forecatsing a negliable increase in additional traffice. Our blue light response vehicles will have emergency access onto the M1, M6 and A14 and these will be main routes to the incidents we respond to.
The development will deliver a minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain, alongside landscaping and tree planting to enhance the local environment.
The base is expected to handle an average of around three call-outs per day, with most flights taking place during daylight hours. Critical Care Cars will also operate from this base during night hours and when unable to safely fly.
A detailed Noise Impact Assessment will be undertaken, and mitigation measures such as designated flight routes will be used to minimise impact on nearby communities.
The design is being carefully developed to be sensitive to the surrounding landscape, using appropriate materials and landscaping while delivering a modern, functional facility.
Yes. Lifesaving services will continue throughout the build period, using existing bases and contingency arrangements where required.
Subject to planning permission, construction is expected to begin in September 2026, with the base becoming operational in August 2027. Updates will be shared as milestones are reached.
Our Warwickshire and Northamptonshire operations are currently based at Coventry Airport, which is due to close in 2026. The facilities there are no longer able to meet the needs of our crews or future service requirements.
A new, purpose-built operational air ambulance base, including hangars, helipads, crew facilities, training spaces, access routes, parking, landscaping and supporting infrastructure.
The first new base will be located near Catthorpe, close to the M1/M6 interchange. Plans for the second base are progressing and will be confirmed once final arrangements are in place.