Doncaster-Sheffield Airport has taken huge step forward towards opening a vote to release £138m of public money to fund voted in favour. The site closed back in November 2022 after the owners said it was too costly.
The South Yorkshire Combined Authority’s board voted today on the releasing of the cash, which is Doncaster’s share of the devolution funds. The money has been made available to City of Doncaster Council in order to lease the airport site from owners, Peel Group.
Mayoral Authority, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said that his first responsibility was to make sure “taxpayers are getting a good deal.”
“I’ve got every confidence that with the right operator, DSA should thrive. It’s got a huge asset in terms of the runway, the terminal is great, there are hangars there that could be part of a wider project around the sustainable aviation hub.
“That’s part of that wider South Yorkshire Airport City, about jobs and growth and opportunity for the whole of South Yorkshire.”
Reopening Doncaster-Sheffield Airport could prove to be an anchor for other avation related industries creating 5,000 direct and 6,000 indirect jobs, according to an Outline Business Case by Doncaster Council. The Mayor, Ros Jones also said “while boosting the economy by anywhere between £1 billion and £2.3 billion.”
Jones added she was “extremely hopeful we will be able to agree a deal” to lease back the airport site from its owners.
The BBC reported that the Doncaster’s Mayor, Ros Jones said opening the airport was her number one priority saying: “I am pleased to say lease negotiations continue to progress positively and I’m confident we can agree a deal, but we are not over the line yet. We are following our carefully managed plan.”
If the money is released towwards to opening of the airport, Ms Jones says its “yet another step in the right direction for us to see planes flying again from our airport”, which was closed back in 2022.
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