Welshpool Air Ambulance base will close in 2026, it has been announced today.

The bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon will be replaced by a new base in north Wales.

Following recommendations by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), the move was backed by the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee (JCC) today (Tuesday).

The recommendations were approved by the committee via a majority decision, although Powys Teaching Health Board indicated that they were opposed to the plans.

The exact location of the new base will be confirmed at a later date, but it will be in central north Wales.

The proposals had faced strong opposition, particularly across Powys, with concerns shared that those in remote and rural areas could be negatively affected.

In February, James Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire repeated calls for the base to remain in Welshpool, saying he did not want to see patients in Mid Wales “put at a disadvantage”.

The final report recommending the closure was released last month, with MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Fay Jones saying she feared about the “detrimental impact” the closure would have on rural Wales.

A petition opposing the changes also attracted more than 30,000 signatures.

Work will now begin on moving the bases to the new site.

Chief ambulance services commissioner Stephen Harrhy said that no bases would close until the new service was in place.