Yes now confirmed by my own enquiries. We were originally told that BAE wanted to move both the Air Ambulance and the Police, off the old airfield which had been sold to developers, and that their continued presence on the old airfield site was not accepted by the purchasers,- (the developers). BAE at that time keen to close the sale, assisted the search for a new base and a planning application was put forward. Hotly opposed by the local people living in Almondsbury. The proposed site was eventually granted planning permission, and work began in the early part of this year, now almost completed. The two units are scheduled to move in in about October. At some point BAE the owners of the new base, appear to have decided that they didn't want to become landlords, to the new combined facility, and put the base up for sale. The Ambulance trust are trying to raise the £1.25 million to secure their share, but it is still unclear where that leaves the Police side.
All very unsettling for the staff of both units, who until fairly recently appeared to think that their future was secure.
The People of the greater Bristol Region are digging deep to support their very popular Air ambulance, and are still supporting "THEIR" Police helicopter. Most do not understand that it has not been theirs for some years now, because after NPAS took over the unit remained at its original base. The public expected it to move to the new joint base at Almondsbury, but some now wonder if that will happen. It is not yet clear if the £1.25 million that the Air ambulance are trying to raise is the total cost of the new site, and that they will then become the owners of the base, sub letting half to NPAS. Hopefully clarity will soon be possible.
TF