Why 2026 will be Doncaster’s time to shine as the next phase of reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport begins - Ros Jones
There was a real buzz around the Great Northern Conference, held at Doncaster Racecourse in early December. The event is a celebration of the North, a call to action for politicians and policymakers, and a chance to share ideas that will lead to genuine change.
We were proud to host northern leaders and sector-leading businesses that are helping the North to grow and forge its own success. Unsurprisingly, given the timing of the conference, the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport was a major topic of conversation.
Since the airport closed its doors in November 2022, there has been a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes to secure its future. Much of this work isn’t on public view but it is absolutely vital to helping the vision become a reality.
The people of Doncaster are rightly proud of their airport, and they understand what it means for the local economy – in terms of jobs for local people; training opportunities; the ability to travel; and the wider credibility that making such an investment says about the North of England’s newest city.
The unprecedented level of support was underlined in December, when our survey of residents recorded an astounding 10,048 responses, with 93 per cent backing the reopening.
Now that all the pieces of the jigsaw are in place, the council and our partners are working at speed to deliver a project that will reap vast benefits. 2026 will see the next phase of works required to fully reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport commence, helping to ensure we hit all the necessary milestones and begin to see the rewards. January will see the first meeting of the Airport Consultative Committee, a group who will play a key role in shaping how the project delivers for the area. From a Governance point of view, we will also be appointing further board directors, including a chair, to Fly Doncaster in the early part of the year, bringing additional important expertise and insight in the areas required for a programme of this scale.
We have already recruited around 20 vital positions needed to take our project forward. So far, we have attracted an extremely high calibre of candidate for many of these roles, showing the faith professionals aligned with the sector have in our vision.
This has included almost 40 applications for Air Traffic Controllers, at a time when there is a national shortage. We’ll have more roles going live throughout 2026, as we gear the project up to its most crucial phase, with the next tranche including senior Air Traffic Controllers and engineers, jobs that are vital to sustaining a successful airport operation.
February will see us finalise designs for a refreshed terminal. We have been working closely with architects to ensure that the building will provide an exceptional experience for passengers.
Discussions that have already taken place with airlines will continue to progress. We have already had some extremely promising meetings with well-respected passenger and freight operators, and we will look to secure firm commitments as we move through the year. Discussions will also progress with foreign governments and trade envoys. A big part of this project is outward-looking, making sure we set off on the right foot.
We will move towards phase three of the consultation on reopening our airspace in Spring 2026, ensuring that we are able to effectively manage air traffic in the skies around the airport.
Training and skills will also be a strong focus, and we will progress our aviation and skills partnerships alongside the public and private sector as we look to build a physical training base on site.
Opening a piece of transport infrastructure of this scale is no mean feat, and we do not underestimate the size of the challenge. However, we’re also acutely aware that this needs to be done the right way with safety, customer experience and economic revival being the core principles for future success. We have one shot at delivering an airport that will be a true game-changer for Doncaster.
There are of course other projects that speak of our ambition. The new Gateway One development, a major £32m digital and tech hub, will act as a catalyst for new jobs, while the Gresley Institute will safeguard railway jobs of the future.
The confirmation in December 2025 that the city will get a second University Technical College (UTC), which will focus on Healthcare and Green Technologies, is a huge vote of confidence in Doncaster’s potential.
If the last four months of 2025 have shown us anything, it was that there has been a shift in the way that Doncaster is viewed externally. At its best, Doncaster is unapologetically bold. Residents wear their hearts on their sleeves, and those who know this city’s true colours will talk-up its virtues to anyone who will listen.
We’re an outward-looking city, ready to embrace change and take bold decisions to improve our lot. This includes putting ourselves on a pedestal and being willing to compete to attract the right jobs and investment into our area.
We might not be the biggest of cities, but we’re ready to stand tall and punch above our weight.
Ros Jones is Mayor of Doncaster.