Doncaster Sheffield Airport 'could reopen by 2026'

Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed in 2022

The first passenger flights could take off from a newly-reopened Doncaster Sheffield Airport by spring 2026 after a new operator was identified.

Doncaster Council said negations were ongoing, but it hoped various legal and contractual stages would be completed before the end of the year.

The airport has been closed since November 2022 after site owners Peel Group said it was not financially viable.

The city's mayor, Ros Jones, said while she could not yet reveal who the operator was the development marked a "major milestone" in efforts to reopen the airport.

Jones said she would name the operator "when I can" but that "at this time we must continue to have discussions with them on a strictly confidential basis".

She added: "I know our residents and businesses are keen for the airport to reopen and would want that to happen yesterday, but please rest assured we are working as hard as possible to get the airport reopened with the aim of being operational by spring 2026."

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has been asked to release £3m to go towards preparing the airport, while the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is reviewing an application for the reinstatement of airspace around the site.

The council stated that thousands of jobs could be created directly by the reopening of the airport and the development of business parks nearby.

Analysis: Spencer Stokes, BBC Yorkshire business and transport correspondent

It’s two years to the day since Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed, and this afternoon's announcement confirms that, barring an unexpected turn of events, passengers should be able to fly from DSA again in 18 months' time.

The unnamed operating company now has the task of reopening the mothballed terminal as well as signing contracts with enough airlines to make the operation a profitable business.

That lack of profitability, and disappointing passenger numbers, were cited by Peel Group as the main reason behind its decision to shut DSA in November 2022.

There was a sense of dismay across South Yorkshire when Peel Group walked away, but Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire’s Mayor - backed by a grassroots campaign - worked out a potential path to reopening.

It appears today that work has paid off and flights will return to South Yorkshire.

'Fully committed'

Doncaster Council has signed a 125-year lease on the site with landowners Peel, but decided to appoint a third party to operate commercial aviation.

The SYMCA said in a statement that negotiations with the successful bidder would focus on "the level of public control and investment" needed for the project.

"Given the significant levels of investment, the Mayor and the rest of the SYMCA board remain determined to ensure an appropriate level of public control over decisions impacting the future of the airport, and to take as much time as necessary to get the deal right," it said.

"As a result, the paper being presented to the board recommends that Doncaster Council is given more time to conclude commercial negotiations.

"The proposed release of £3m funding now would allow for the delivery of time-critical activity, including work on CAA accreditation and standing up the necessary infrastructure.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said he was "fully committed" to reopening the airport and said he would give the council the "financial firepower" it needed to secure the future of the airport while "making sure we do everything we can to protect taxpayers’ money".

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