Doncaster Sheffield Airport set to unlock £1.56bn boost as plans released to reopen site

The facility occupies the site of former air force base, RAF Finningley, and is six miles from Doncaster and 19 miles from Sheffield. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, DSA was voted the UK's best airport by Which? magazine three years in a row.

Since its closure, Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones and her cabinet at City of Doncaster Council along with community activists from the Save DSA group have been pushing for ways to reopen the airport.

WATCH GB NEWS' REPORT ON DSA

At the City of Doncaster Council extraordinary cabinet meeting today, it was disclosed the cabinet is on the cusp of agreeing on a 100-year lease for the site and that negotiations will begin on Monday to find a private sector partner to operate the airport, with a report showing DSA has the potential to generate around £1.56billion in net economic benefits over the course of three decades.

After the meeting, Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones told GB News: “We’ve had financial advice from aviation experts which demonstrates to us it that it can be a financially viable airport.

“It’s about jobs, it’s about growth, it’s about international investment – should we not get the airport reopened, we’d be the only city region in Europe that does not have an operational airport. It’s very much a regional and a national asset that is required.

“We’ve had fantastic community input [to keep the airport open] and over 130,000 signed the petition, and we’ve had politicians of all descriptions actually backing the reopening of the airport. “

The mayor also said that re-opening the airport is her “number one priority” and added: “We are hopeful that a lease can be secured and look forward to working with interested parties in the reopening the airport.

“If we get the lease agreed then reopening the airport will not happen overnight of course but it would be a huge step forward.

“Cabinet was certainly reassured by the tremendous amount of hard work that has happened to date and I would like to thank council staff who have been dedicated to the South Yorkshire City Airport programme and their work continues.”

Major Jones also confirmed the Civil Aviation Authority had pushed back a decision on whether the site's controlled airspace should be removed.

The council aims to have a deal finalised by March 2024, subject to conditions set out by Peel Group being deemed reasonable.

Leader of the Save DSA campaign group, Mark Chadwick, was positive about the outcome of the meeting and told GB News: “We’re now waiting on Peel to give us a lease, if we get a lease, we get our airport open. The information that we’ve got from the council with different operating models shows that the airport can make profit, which has proved Peel wrong.

“Let’s now get this airport open and get jobs back into the community and get money back into the economy.

“We’ve lost over £108,000,000 a year and 800 direct jobs and with the right people operating it, and they [the council] have been to market and have 15 different operators interested who want to take over the airport, so let’s get on with it.

Mark has garnered support from more than 26,000 supporters of the Save DSA campaign across social media and is proud to have been at the forefront of the group.

“It’s a job in itself never mind running my own business but it’s a worthwhile cause, the local community want their airport back,” he said.

“It’s not just about going on holiday, it could really drive Doncaster as a connectivity hub with our motorways and railways and the airport would just be the gilding on the lily.

“The airport would give us that opportunity that there isn’t available elsewhere in the north of England.”

A Financial Viability Assessment indicated that the reopened airport could see 2 million passengers pass through a year within a decade and suggested it could be in profit within five years of opening.

The news has been welcomed by the business community in South Yorkshire and Dan Fell, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, said: “The fight to save DSA has been fought valiantly by various partners and it’s heartening to see that things might at long last be looking up.

“It’s no secret that this ordeal has taken its toll on the region. When a review into the airport’s viability was first announced back in June 2022, it caused a great deal of consternation as everybody tried to wrestle with the implications of losing such an important strategic asset.

“At the time, while its fate still hung in the balance, DSA’s worth to the local economy was estimated to be around £110million per annum. Yet if it were supported in reopening then, within the first three decades of operating, the net economic benefits could potentially be up to £1.5billion.

“Surrendering the airport altogether therefore felt like an unthinkable prospect and I am glad to see that we are now moving towards a more desirable outcome. One that is mutually beneficial for both Peel Group and for the region at large.

“All in all, the news from today’s council meeting is very promising and could signal a much-needed change in Doncaster’s fortunes. The past 12 months have been incredibly challenging but, if this is any indication, I truly believe that we can turn things around and look forward to a brighter, more prosperous future.”

Peel Group has been approached by GB News for comment.