Doncaster Sheffield Airport: ‘Light at end of tunnel’ in saga over mothballed airport, says mayor

Oliver Coppard was asked to give an update to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s (SYMCA) overview and scrutiny board about the news concerning Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).

As The Yorkshire Post reported last week, Doncaster Council’s cabinet has given the go-ahead for negotiations to take place to find an investor to reopen the airport.

Talks will begin to select an investor to create a leasehold agreement with owners Peel to run the site for over 100 years.At a meeting at SYMCA headquarters, Coun Ken Wyatt (Rotherham) asked if the mayor had any sort of insight around the potential reopening of the airport.

He told the committee it’s “really difficult we don’t have a regional airport” and asked: “Are you [Mr Coppard] willing to use your good offices to get those services restored there in Doncaster?”

Mr Coppard replied: “We are and we have been. It has been a saga caused by Peel Group.”

He added that the SYMCA had been working with Doncaster Council “hand in glove” to first save the airport and now reopen it.

“It has been a joint partnership between us and them – and it has to be said, with absolutely zero help from the Government and Conservative MPs in the region as well. We have been doing everything we can to try and get DSA to fly again.”

He added that, while there is still a long way to go, “there’s a light at the end of the tunnel”.

Doncaster’s mayor, Ros Jones, said: “I am pleased to say that thereport suggests we were right to have faith in the potential of the airport.

“It suggests that the airport can be financially viable and that successfully reopening DSA would deliver major economic benefits and excellent value for money.

“It also considers that reopening is likely to be the optimal solution when compared to alternative potential uses.”

Ms Jones added: “Initial discussions with the market have also been positive and suggest there is substantial interest from potential operators.”