Leaders agree £10m for next phase of airport re-opening project

Regional leaders have agreed to commit £10m to City of Doncaster Council to further develop a case to establish South Yorkshire Airport City and re-open Doncaster-Sheffield Airport.

The funding was agreed at a meeting of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board (SYMCA).

The £10m will be revenue funding to enable City of Doncaster Council to continue with ongoing operational activity to support the work required to make a long-term investment decision by summer 2025.

City of Doncaster Council has established a wholly owned subsidiary – Fly Doncaster – and has secured Munich Airport International as its strategic partner which will support the reestablishment of operations over a multi-year period.

Fly Doncaster will be staffed and run separately from City of Doncaster Council.

There has also been the publication of a report by the Subsidy Advice Unit. The council will need to provide SYMCA with legal opinion on subsidy control compliance prior to any funding for subsidy being released.

As well as this, the Full Business Case has been revised and resubmitted to reflect the changes in the operating model.

More recently, in her flagship speech on economic growth late last month, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves committed to working with SYMCA and City of Doncaster Council to support their efforts on South Yorkshire Airport City and re-opening the airport.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “The Chancellor’s recent intervention and visit to Doncaster last week was a hugely welcome boost for our plans to re-open Doncaster-Sheffield Airport and create a world class sustainable aviation hub at Gateway East.

“We have now committed further funds to secure our future plans as we undertake the due diligence required of a project of this scale and work up our proposals with the Government with a view to taking a final decision in the summer.”