Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust has been awarded almost £1 million to build a new base for the charity and its helicopter at Newquay Cornwall Airport.

The total grant is worth £949,760, from ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Convergence.

The rest of the costs will be covered by charitable funds already reserved for the project, and extra fundraising.

The development includes a 492 square metre hangar for the Cornwall Air Ambulance helicopter and 335 square metres of office space, creating a base both operating crews and the fundraising team.

Paula Martin, chief executive of the air ambulance trust, said: “Strategically, this charity is growing quickly, mainly because we need to meet the costs of operating a busy air ambulance helicopter.

“We are very pleased indeed to have secured this significant investment to help pay for something which is truly for the people of Cornwall in the future. We are also very conscious that we utilise charitable funds prudently in providing all aspects of Cornwall’s air ambulance service.”

She added that the development would create a “proper ‘home for the helicopter’.”

Cornwall Council awarded planning permission for the new home for the helicopter in November last year.

The building will be sited on the south side of the main runway at Newquay Cornwall Airport and it is hoped work will be completed later this year, with plans for the air ambulance to be running from the new hangar before Christmas.

With the charity’s headquarters and office staff currently based at Roche, just off the A30, the new accommodation will bring the charity and operations team together for the first time.

Offices will be built to make sure future running costs remain low.

Al Titterington, Newquay Cornwall Airport’s managing director, said: “The new facility is another exciting development here at Newquay Cornwall Airport and will further strengthen the relationship between the air ambulance trust and the airport.”