Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Inquiry launched after closure sparks backlash

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, who ordered the inquiry, said he wants to “shift the balance of power back into the hands of our communities” so they have more say about what happens to “essential assets and infrastructure”.

It comes after Peel Group decided to shut down Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) last year, claiming it had never had made a profit due to a lack of passengers.

Mr Coppard had urged the company to reconsider and he set up meetings with investors who were interested in a potential takeover, but no deal was reached.

The Labour mayor also called on the Government to intervene and protect the airport, which employed around 800 people.

Mr Coppard said: “What happened to our airport should never have been allowed, and yet we did not have the ability to stop it from happening.

“We were at the mercy of a private company over whom we had no control, and a government in London who refused to intervene. That simply can’t be allowed to happen again.

“Increasingly, we are talking about how proper devolution might work in this country.

"For me, proper devolution has to mean putting power in the hands of our communities so we can build the type of economy we want for our region and have proper democratic control over the infrastructure we all rely on.

“South Yorkshire has lost two airports in 10 years. Despite the millions of investments and the years of support our region poured into DSA, when push came to shove we simply didn’t have the powers, money or control we needed to stop it from being closed and mothballed.”

He added: “We need to urgently look at how we shift the balance of power back into the hands of our communities, so we can protect economically essential assets and infrastructure now and into the future.

"That’s why I welcome this inquiry and look forward to its recommendations.”

The inquiry is to be chaired by lawyer and former High Sheriff of South Yorkshire Martin McKervey and is expected to run until the summer.

"Whilst due process is of course to be respected, it is clearly not enough in itself to ensure private decisions and regional ambitions are aligned,” he said.

“It is therefore right that independent experts, trusted by business, the community and a wide range of stakeholders, come together to review what more can be done to protect our critical infrastructure.”

After DSA was closed to passengers in November, Doncaster Council announced it is pursuing a compulsory purchase order for the site.

The council also applied for a judicial review into the decision to shut the airport, claiming the owners had not left time for a buyer to make a realistic offer, but the application was refused in December.