Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Oliver Coppard's purchase plan approved but sale negotiations 'not concluded'
Negotiations for the purchase of Doncaster Sheffield Airport with landowner Peel remain ongoing, Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard has said as efforts to bring the site into public ownership took a key step forward.
It was announced last week that South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, which is led by Mr Coppard, has reached a preliminary agreement with Peel to buy the DSA site as an alternative to the existing reopening plan which involved City of Doncaster Council leasing the land.
Draft ‘heads of terms’ have been agreed between the parties but the purchase sum is currently undisclosed.
Speaking at a SYMCA board meeting on Tuesday afternoon where the plan to purchase the site was given the green light, Mr Coppard said he would be “as transparent as we possibly can be” about the financing of the project but added it was not possible to give full details at this stage.
“We’re keen to provide as much information as possible regarding how we’ve arrived at this decision. But the reality is that negotiations with Peel regarding the purchase haven’t yet concluded so that is why chiefly it is commercially confidential for now.”
Following the airport’s closure under Peel’s ownership in 2022 and a lease deal being signed by the council in 2024, SYMCA had agreed in September 2025 to provide £160m of devolution funding to the reopening project on the proviso that a series of changes were made to the lease - including exempting that money from a controversial ‘turnover rent’ clause entitling Peel to up to 20 per cent of future airport revenues above annual base rent payments.
Talks to change that section of the council’s lease, which SYMCA said could lead to £60m in previously unbudgeted costs being owed to Peel, could not be agreed - resulting in the alternative plan to buy the airport.
The SYMCA board paper said: “The cost to the taxpayer of acquiring the land in this manner is materially cheaper than the existing lease rents. This reflects that borrowing costs will be fixed and time-limited to the 30-year repayment profile, whilst the lease costs would rise each year with inflation and turnover rent would also begin to fall due.”
Gareth Sutton, executive director of resources & investment for SYMCA, told Tuesday’s meeting that the purchase proposals “represent a materially-better deal for the region than the existing lease arrangements”.
He added: “The deal provides greater value for money, places critical public infrastructure in public control and best supports the viability of the project by removing much of the cost and risk that have been identified previously by this board.
“Quite simply, a purchase confers ownership. Ownership provides control and control affords the agency to deliver on the ambition.”
The new plan will also see SYMCA take a controlling interest in FlyDoncaster, the company set up by City of Doncaster Council to run the airport.
Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones said: “The opportunity to buy the freehold simply wasn’t on the table four years ago. Bringing the airport back under public ownership is what I have wanted from the start. I’m confident it can work and unlock huge potential for our city.”
After the plan was voted through, Mr Coppard said: “The public of South Yorkshire have been clear from day one about their support for us taking this sort of step, moving this project forward and keeping our foot on the pedal to be able to allow us to mvoe forward at pace to reopen DSA and build out the surrounding land.
“I want to commit publicly to three things as we move forward from here as the MCA steps into a bigger role in the running and development of the airport and the land around the airport.
“It is important I commit to saying first and foremost we will always strive to do the best possible deal for taxpayers. The public funding that we are putting into this project is significant.
“Somebody on the news the other day said this is the biggest single step under Andy Burnham for devolution and I agree with that.
“This is a significant step but is only possible because of the funding from the public sector. It is incumbent upon us to absolutely respect taxpayers’ money.
“Secondly, and it links clearly to that first commitment, [of] always remaining transparent and accountable as we move through this process
“Thirdly, I’ll do everything I can alongside people around this table to make DSA a success. I’ve said that from day one, I remain true to that commitment today.
“This is a massive step forward in that commitment but it is just another step in the journey we’ve all committed to, which is to support DSA and get it back to what we know it can be; a thriving regional airport with a world-leading sustainable aviation hub that contributes hugely to the economy and growth of South Yorkshire.”
Following the meeting, Stephen Wild, managing director of Peel Land, said: “We note the outcome of today's meeting and will continue to work jointly with SYMCA to seek to finalise the transaction."
A CDC cabinet meeting about the change in plan for the airport will take place tomorrow, October 28.
It is planned that passenger flights will resume from DSA from spring 2028 but SYMCA said last week the target “is an ambition, not a commitment”.