Plans Submitted for New Air Ambulance Base in Harborough District

Plans for a new multi-million pound base for the Air Ambulance Service in Harborough District have taken a major step forward after a planning application was submitted.

The charity, which covers Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and other parts of the East Midlands, wants to build the facility near Catthorpe after its current base at Coventry Airport was earmarked for closure.

How the new base is likely to look

A major fundraising campaign is now underway, with a public appeal aiming to raise £9 million towards the cost of the new headquarters.

The purpose-built facility will include two helipads, a hangar, crew welfare facilities including bedrooms, rest areas, and a gym, training rooms, and incident simulation spaces.

It will house two helicopters and two rapid-response cars, supporting both emergency medical services and the National Children’s Air Ambulance, which has transported more than 1,200 critically ill babies and children to specialist hospitals across the UK.

The location, near major routes including the M1, M6, and A14, is expected to allow doctors and crews to reach incidents more quickly. The charity says it will also include spaces for families of patients, providing support for survivors and those who have lost loved ones.

Harborough District Council will consider the planning application at a future date.