Doncaster Sheffield Airport: South Yorkshire could seek further government support to reopen airport

It is understood that this will unlock an additional £26.5m which would have gone towards interest payments, strengthening the business case for reopening.

This is all on top of the £105m, City of Doncaster Council intends to loan to its company Fly Doncaster, which will oversee the airport, using its share of South Yorkshire devolution funding up to 2050.

However, Mr Coppard would not rule out seeking further government support, either through Ministry of Defence contracts or in the sustainable aviation sector.

Sheffield University is one of the leaders in research around sustainable fuels, while Boeing’s European manufacturing base is in South Yorkshire.

“This is not an easy project,” Mr Coppard explained.

“That’s why it’s taken all the time it has and that’s why we need more money from the Government, but we’re determined to make this work.

“Frankly, however long this takes - we’re going to make this work, but we are working at speed to get this across the line as quickly as we can.”

Despite the intervention of the Prime Minister this week, backing the mayor’s plans, Mr Coppard said the reopening was “not an inevitability”.

“There are a load of challenges around air space, around operators, making sure the infrastructure around here is what it needs to be,” the mayor explained, when asked about the ongoing issues.

“Getting back the air traffic controllers, putting in lights, getting the signage back up - you name it, it’s not easy.”

Work also needs to go in around keeping open the air corridors, after the airport was shut by owners Peel Group in 2022.

Mr Coppard is set to make the final decision on the reopening in the summer, after taking a financial assessment from independent auditors.

He said: “For me the test that we have to meet is, is this contributing to the economy of South Yorkshire in a big and important way?”

Officials believe that reopening the airport could boost the regional economy by £5bn, and say they will attract up to five airlines.

There are hopes that Munich Airport International, which will operate and manage DSA if it reopens in spring 2026, will charge lower landing fees than the previous owners, given the public funding that has gone into the reopening.

However, concerns remain about how financially viable the airport is in the long term.

Under the Peel Group, the airport made a loss in every financial year from 2005 to 2022, totalling £180m.

The Prime Minister told The Yorkshire Post he was confident that DSA would provide value for money to the taxpayer.

“The fact that so many businesses are already wanting to back what we're doing, and they want to show their support, and I'm absolutely convinced that this was a lost opportunity.”

Mr Coppard added: “We’ve seen the strength of feeling right across the region, right across the North quite honestly, for getting this airport up and running, and also creating a sustainable aviation hub, building new homes and making sure this part of South Yorkshire thrives.”