South Yorkshire leaders set to back deal putting Doncaster Sheffield Airport into public ownership
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and City of Doncaster Council are due to consider a proposal to buy Doncaster Sheffield Airport and nearby employment land from Peel Land, in a move described as a major milestone for plans to reopen the site.
A plan to bring Doncaster Sheffield Airport and the adjacent Innovation Quarter employment land into public ownership is set to go before South Yorkshire leaders later this month, in a move that could clear the way for the airport’s long-term future.
The proposal will be considered by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board on 27 October, and also requires approval from Peel Land.
If both sides sign off, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority would buy the airport and the nearby employment site.
Supporters say the deal would give the region greater certainty over one of its most significant regeneration opportunities and provide the control needed to progress wider plans for South Yorkshire Airport City, which is intended to become a hub for sustainable aviation, advanced manufacturing and innovation.
The airport closed in November 2022, leaving South Yorkshire without a commercial aviation presence and triggering uncertainty about the future of the site.
Since then, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, City of Doncaster Council, local MPs, Government and other partners have worked on plans to bring aviation back.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “I’m delighted to say that subject to formal approval of the MCA Board next week and then Peel, we’ve agreed a deal that means we’re taking Doncaster Sheffield Airport and adjacent Innovation Quarter employment land into public ownership.
“This is a deal that puts the future of DSA back in our hands and finally gives one of the biggest and best growth opportunities in South Yorkshire the platform for long-term success that it needs and deserves. “Four years ago, we were told that our airport would be closing. But alongside Ros Jones, I said I would do anything I could to save DSA, and I meant it.
“Which is why after months of negotiations and the growing flexibility afforded to us by the government’s devolution agenda, today we can announce that we have come to an agreement for SYMCA to buy the airport and Innovation Quarter employment land from Peel.
“Subject to the agreement of the MCA Board next week, the airport and surrounding Innovation Quarter employment land will be owned and controlled by us, for us; the people of South Yorkshire.
“This deal means our future will be in our own hands again.
“When the airport closed, almost everything was against us; the owners did not want to sell, we had no legal powers to intervene or stop the airport from closing, and no backing from the government at the time.
“Today, the future for DSA is bright, with the airport back in our hands, the sky’s the limit.”
Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones said the airport reopening remained her main priority. She said: “Fully reopening this airport is my number one priority and with the backing and support of South Yorkshire this deal will make that become a reality.
“This is the right option for the airport – to get it into public ownership and reopened as soon as possible. This is ambitious and the partnership with SYMCA builds on the strong foundations we have built up over the past four years, a foundation upon which we can build together as a team.
“In Doncaster, we have worked hard to get the preparations ready, in relation to airspace certification and airfield readiness, getting key staff in place and importantly keeping those critical conversations with airlines, businesses and support services going.
“More will be shared when the time is right. Our communities have cheered us on throughout as well as local businesses and campaigners and I would like to thank them for their faith in this airport. This deal presents an amazing opportunity to get the people’s airport open again. I look forward to discussing this further next week.”
The plans come after months of negotiations with Peel Land over the future of the airport and the Innovation Quarter.
Those talks have now concluded and the agreement will be put to South Yorkshire leaders for decision later this month.
Teams at the airport have meanwhile continued work aimed at reopening the site as soon as possible.
That has included recruiting senior aviation leaders, progressing regulatory steps such as the Airspace Change Proposals, and making procurement decisions on equipment including fire tenders and a new radar system.
Freight services are planned to return from Autumn 2027, with passenger services following in Spring 2028, subject to completion of the regulatory and operational work needed to reopen the airport.
Stephen Wild, Managing Director of Peel Land, said: “There has been significant collaboration, and we continue to work closely with our partners at the City of Doncaster Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to achieve the wider vision.”
The report says the project carries risk to the taxpayer because of the amount of public funding involved, but recommends approval. If it goes ahead, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority would become the freehold owner and landlord to the City of Doncaster Council lease.
South Yorkshire leaders will consider the proposal at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board meeting at 3.30pm on Tuesday 27 October.
Further information will be published in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board papers later today. City of Doncaster Council will also consider the proposals at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting on 21 October.