Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) has begun construction on their new Northern Air Support Unit facility this week. The site at Skipton Bridge, on the outskirts of Skipton on Swale near Thirsk will house their new state-of-the-art northern airbase and become home to one of the charities air ambulance helicopters.
The new base will be purpose-built to reflect the exceptional facilities already established at YAA’s Southern Air Support Unit at Nostell near Wakefield, and will create a dedicated, long-term base for the northern region, providing stability for the Charity’s lifesaving operations and ensuring it is equipped to respond to emergencies efficiently. The building will also offer energy-efficient infrastructure and will include a clinical planning room, advanced training and simulation suite, crew accommodation, wellbeing zones and ample meeting spaces. Planning permission was granted back in July by North Yorkshire Council.
Mike Harrop, Chairman of YAA said: “Breaking ground on this project is a huge milestone for YAA. We have been working towards this for many years now, and at various points we didn’t even know if we’d even get to this stage. A huge amount of hard work has gone in behind the scenes to get us here and knowing that we’re bringing to life the Charity’s vision to secure our long-term future in the northern part of the region is wonderful. Everyone in Yorkshire will benefit from this build project”.
Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton also joined the celebrations on site to help get the build underway. He added: “I’m delighted that Yorkshire Air Ambulance has found a permanent home for its new, Northern Air Support Unit at Skipton Bridge. Just about everyone I know has had friends or family who’ve benefited from this incredible service. The new facility secures a long-term future for YAA in our part of Yorkshire, and even greater support for communities across the north of the region. YAA really is a lifeline for Yorkshire and I’m proud they are investing in our area, which will ultimately save lives well into the future.”
The new airbase has been made possible thanks to the generous support of The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation, who are the lead funder for the build. The £9M project is also being funded by pre-planned savings and investments, grant funding, philanthropic support and private donations.
Rebecca Bletcher, Chair of The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation added: “We have been very pleased to support Yorkshire Air Ambulance over a number of years; the need for the amazing service it provides across our region is obvious, and there are countless examples of the combination of expertise, speed and care saving lives. We are delighted to now be supporting the establishment of a permanent base to underpin the vital service and to make things a little easier for the brave and skilled people who will be working there. We are looking forward to seeing it completed and in action.”
Ripley based Hacs Construction has been appointed as the lead contractor for the build after a thorough tender process, which was managed by RLB’s Leeds office, who have acted as the client project manager. The unique building has also been designed by Leeds based architect’s Group Ginger.
The build programme is expected to take approximately 45 weeks to complete before the internal fit out begins. The charity hopes to be operational from the new airbase in early Autumn 2026.