March 01, 2026 - 224 views
Work is due to begin in April on the construction of two new hospital helipads at Ysbyty Gwynedd, marking a major boost for emergency care across North Wales.
The development will see the Bangor hospital gain an additional landing pad, creating the first dual-use helipad facility of its kind in Wales.
Designed to meet the latest Civil Aviation Authority standards and future aviation requirements, the new layout will allow both the Wales Air Ambulance and HM Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopters to land simultaneously, removing the need for one aircraft to circle overhead while the other is on the ground.
The project is being funded with £1.5 million from the HELP Appeal — the only charity in the UK dedicated to funding hospital helipads — alongside more than £800,000 from the Welsh Government. It is the first time the HELP Appeal has funded a hospital helipad in Wales and the first double helipad the charity has supported anywhere in the country.
The investment follows growing operational demand at the hospital. Ysbyty Gwynedd recorded 158 aircraft landings in 2022/23, including several occasions when two helicopters required access at the same time, underlining the need for expanded capacity.
Once complete, the new facility will include two fully compliant landing pads capable of simultaneous use, upgraded lighting systems that can be activated remotely by approaching aircraft, enhanced weather monitoring equipment, secure perimeter access and improved patient transfer routes. Plans also include a dedicated fire station area and a proposed electric “helibuggy” to speed up transfers between the helipad and the Emergency Department.
The hospital’s existing helipad was installed in 1997 and has not been modernised beyond routine maintenance. Health board leaders say the redevelopment will future-proof air access for a region that covers vast rural and coastal areas where air transfer can be critical.
Carol Shillabeer, Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said the dual helipads would significantly strengthen resilience, particularly during periods of high demand or major incidents. She described the scheme as the first phase of a wider programme to improve helicopter landing facilities across all health board sites.
Planning permission for the new design was granted by Gwynedd Council in September 2023 following extensive surveys and consultation with clinical teams, aviation specialists and emergency service partners.
Emergency crews have welcomed the move. Captain Jon Earp of Wales Air Ambulance said the dual helipad would reduce delays in delivering patients and set a benchmark for other hospitals.
Dr Pete Williams, Clinical Lead for the Emergency Department, said the upgrade would enhance the hospital’s ability to stabilise critically ill patients and transfer adults and children safely to specialist centres, including the Royal Stoke University Hospital in England.
Welsh Government ministers have also backed the project, describing it as a vital investment that will improve outcomes for some of the most seriously ill and injured patients in North Wales.
When complete, the new dual-pad facility is expected to play a key role in strengthening major incident response, improving transfer times and ensuring compliance with current and future aviation safety standards — providing what many are calling a lifeline for communities across the region.
