Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Reopening is closer as “preferred bidder” identified

At this month’s South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) board meeting, local leaders welcomed the next chapter of the process – the full business case – in reopening the Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reported last week, the procurement processes led by the City of Doncaster Council (CDC) had returned a preferred bidder with a credible international airport operator which could reopen and run the airport in spring 2026.

Although the identity of the bidder, for the time being, will remain confidential, the CDC could continue commercial negotiations with them “to ensure the best possible deal is secured, placing the required protections around public investment”.

The board approved the recommendation to provide CDC an additional £3m from existing earmarked resources to progress with reinstatement activity and continue commercial negotiations.

The plan is that these negotiations will be concluded by Christmas this year.

At the meeting, Ros Jones, the mayor of Doncaster, told the members that she was “delighted that we’re one stage further” and having the potential in spring 2026 to see commercial flights departing from Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

She added the airport wouldn’t only bring economic growth to Doncaster but to the region as a whole.

Oliver Coppard, the South Yorkshire mayor, said he remained “fully committed” to reopening the airport.

Mr Coppard wanted to talk directly to the campaigners who have campaigned so diligently and so hard – more particularly to those who “have always wanted to do a deal at any cost”.

He said: “Frankly, that has never been a sensible approach because, actually, the sensible approach is to do this deal properly, and do the deal absolutely as quickly as we can but to make sure we give DSA the best possible future, the most sustainable future going forward and the biggest and best chance to succeed.”

The MCA Board has previously agreed in principle to provide £138m in support of Doncaster’s Place Investment Plan that could be used to reopen DSA and create a world-leading sustainable aviation hub at Gateway East.