The Welsh Ambulance Services new £8m Cardiff station has officially opened.

The Welsh Government-funded facility in Pontprennau will be the new home of both emergency and non-emergency crews who were previously based at the Blackweir site.

A Cycle Response Unit will also be located at the facility, which includes a Make Ready Depot, where fleet assistants clean and re-stock vehicles.

The station benefits from EV charging points, cycle storage, bat boxes and a rainwater harvesting system which enables water to be re-used for vehicle cleaning.

Eluned Morgan, the minister for health and social services who opened the facility, said: “I am delighted to officially open Cardiff’s new ambulance station, providing crews with the base they deserve. The state-of-the art facilities will increase the time crews can spend with sick or injured people, as well as excellent training facilities for new and current staff.

“Alongside the £3m we’re investing to recruit around 100 additional frontline staff and introduce a new ‘Cymru High Acuity Response Unit’ (CHARU) service, our new ambulance infrastructure will provide a range of benefits to our ambulance staff and the communities they serve.”

Chris Willis, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s locality manager for Cardiff, added: “This project has been many years in the pipeline so we’re thrilled that it’s operational. We have fond memories of our time at Blackweir station, but the building was of its time and no longer fit-for-purpose.

“This is a 21st century ambulance station to be proud of, and it means that crews finally get the facilities they deserve, which ultimately means a better service for people in Cardiff.”

Construction was carried out by John Weaver Contractors.