Developer Stoford is delivering the 76,000 sq ft purpose-built hub which is the largest hub of its kind in the country and will eventually house 350 operational ambulance staff.

McLaren is looking to complete the scheme in time for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games which kicks off in July 2022.

The hub will also include a facility for the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), fleet maintenance and vehicle preparation areas.

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.

“Talking to staff, they are excited to see the new building developed and we will be working with them to ensure it fully meets their needs.”

WMAS serves a population of 5.6m people and covers an area of more than 5,000 square miles, comprising Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and the West Midlands.

The hub will achieve the BREEAM Excellence rating and will accommodate 365 parking spaces, including ten disabled spaces and 70 ambulance spaces.