West Midlands Ambulance hub underway

Developer Stoford and contractor McLaren Construction have begun work on a multi-million-pound ambulance service hub for West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) in Sandwell.

The 7,000m² purpose-built hub, which is said to be the largest of its kind in the country, will eventually house about 350 operational ambulance staff.

The hub will be open in time for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, which kicks off in July 2022, and will be used as a staging point for the WMAS’ preparations for one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

Tony Nash, Director at Stoford, said: “This is a significant development for West Midlands Ambulance Service and an important national infrastructure project, so we’re pleased to have made a start on delivering the scheme, just a short time after we received planning approval.

“As a former quarry site that was undeveloped for 15 years, it is a technically challenging building project, so receiving financial support from the West Midlands Combined Authority to make it viable has been crucial in getting it ready for development.”

Craig Cooke, WMAS Director of Strategic Operations, added: “This is an important hub for the Service not just for the Commonwealth Games but for our ongoing ability to deliver high quality care to the people of Birmingham and the Black Country.

“It will also see a major upgrade in our central stores facility, which has played such a vital role during the pandemic, but also a big step forward in facilities for our Education & Training team and the Hazardous Area Response Team.”

The hub will achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent” rating and will accommodate 365 parking spaces, including ten disabled spaces and 70 ambulance spaces.