New home for Air Ambulance in Melksham?

WILTSHIRE’S Air Ambulance is hoping to move to Melksham following a year-long search for a new base.

The charity has identified land at Outmarsh Farm, between Semington and Melksham, south of Hampton Park West Industrial Estate, as the ideal location for its new home.

The lease on its current base at Wiltshire Police Headquarters in Devizes runs out at the end of 2017, but by then the charity hopes it can have the Melksham base up and running.

Air ambulance bosses want their helicopter crews to maintain their target of reaching anywhere in the county in 11 minutes and the Melksham site fits the bill. It is also close to Melksham Police Station, is also away from major housing development and has excellent road links.

Melksham does not have an ambulance station and the air ambulance would provide enhanced medical cover for the Melksham area. Their critical care paramedics have advanced medical skills and as well as responding in the helicopter, they use a rapid response vehicle (car) to attend medical emergencies including road traffic collisions, heart attacks and strokes.

“Wiltshire Air Ambulance has informed neighbours and interested parties in the Melksham area of their preferred location for our new home to base our helicopter, crew and office staff,” said Jill Crooks, WAA media coordinator.

“We have invited them to attend a public consultation event on Wednesday 12th August at Trowbridge Rugby Club from 3pm-8pm.

“It is of the utmost importance to us that we explain our plans to people living and working near our proposed site and to hear their views.

“Charity staff and crew hand delivered letters of invitation to almost 700 properties in Semington and Berryfield on August 4th. We also sent letters to more than 60 stakeholders, including businesses who are adjacent to the proposed site and community representatives in Melksham.

“We have been searching for a site for our new home for over a year and our preferred location is on land at Outmarsh Farm, Semington, (immediately south of Hampton Park West Industrial Estate). This is centrally located which would enable our helicopter to reach all parts of Wiltshire within 11 minutes.

“Currently our helicopter and crew are based at the hangar at Wiltshire Police Headquarters in Devizes while our charity team is based at offices that we rent at Porte Marsh Industrial Estate, Calne. The lease on the hangar runs out on December 31st 2017 and the lease on the offices runs out at the end of January 2018.

“The advantage of having the crew and charity team under one roof means we will be working more efficiently. The benefit of owning our own land would mean we have full control of our future and not subject to renting with the uncertainty that can bring.”