The county's air ambulance charity has taken a step forward with its plans to relocate its  headquarters to a site next to Southampton Airport. 

A planning application has been submitted to Eastleigh Borough Council by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance for a proposed site for its airbase and charity operations at George Curl Way. 

As previously revealed in the Daily Echo, the charity hopes to make changes to the site, including a helipad, parking spaces including electric vehicle charging points, landscaping improvements, and offices.

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Doctors, pilots and paramedics currently operate out of Thruxton, Andover, but the charity says moving to a more central location would drastically reduce response times and minimise flying and travel time.

Around 70 per cent of the service’s missions are around Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth.

The charity has revealed the results of its recent public consultation, which received 612 responses. More than 97 per cent were in favour of the proposals.

While some concerns were raised regarding noise from the helicopter and any potential conflict with commercial flights, the overwhelming majority of responses were supportive.

Daily Echo: An artists impression of how the new Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance headquarters next to

CEO Richard Corbett, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to share constructive input during the consultation.

"We understand people’s reservations and concerns, and we hope we have addressed these either directly or through the public sphere.

"We are heartened that the majority of the feedback we received, however, was in support of our proposed move, which only strengthens our desire to carry this through to deliver the best possible outcome for our patients.”

The charity are working with Southampton Airport, Air Traffic Control and others to come up with an aviation plan that works for all. They already use Southampton Airport from time to time. 

Responding to concerns they would be further away from Andover and the towns and villages along the Hampshire-Wiltshire border, the charity said they would now spend much less time needlessly travelling from the northwest to the south of the region, and expect to be restocked, refuelled and ready to respond to emergencies across the region more quickly.

Some feedback also suggested Solent Airport at Lee-on-the-Solent, but that does not offer the central location required.