Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Mayor explains how reopened site will succeed - as £160m funding decision looms
The mayor of South Yorkshire has set out how a reopened Doncaster Sheffield Airport will be a success.
Oliver Coppard said as well as passenger numbers, there were opportunities in “sustainable aviation, advanced manufacturing, freight and even the defence sector.”
He spoke out as the Mayoral Combined Authority prepares to green light £160m funding to help reopen the site at Finningley. The decision will be made at an MCA meeting on Tuesday September 9.
The airport closed in 2022 after private sector operators Peel pulled the plug. The company said it pumped £250m into the site but it was never profitable.
Doncaster Council has set up a company called FlyDoncaster to run the airport.
Mr Coppard, said it would “go beyond” Peel’s approach.
"For me, this opportunity has never been measured purely against passenger numbers. There are opportunities across sustainable aviation, advanced manufacturing, freight, and even the defence sector.
“These are the kinds of opportunities that can drive the economy and contribute to long-term growth in our region.
“No project of this scale is without risk, but we’ve done our homework, which is why we can now take a fully informed decision about the future, based on data, insight and robust expertise.”
South Yorkshire transport guru Peter Kennan said Peel “did nothing wrong.”
The withdrawal of Wizz Airlines due to later delivery of aircraft from Airbus “threw everything off track” and Peel’s board lost confidence.
DSA 2.0 would be different due to it being an aviation cluster “in all its forms” set to include university involvement, maintenance and repair, dismantling, training, aviation businesses and cargo.
He added: “Yes, passenger flying is important. It pays some of the overheads but is certainly not everything.
“A focus on developing business routes is really important. Peel did not succeed in that area but they did make significant effort and there were many opportunities being worked on up to 2022.
“The rail link is really important to complement the great road connections. It needs to be progressed. Car parking and retail is a big source of revenue for any airport though and I am sure that Doncaster Council will be intensively looking at that.”
The airport was seen as crucial to South Yorkshire’s fortunes, he added.
“It has to work. How else is South Yorkshire going to get out of the productivity hole? “More and better skilled jobs to match the talent pool. Stop so many people moving away for opportunity.
“The SME community cannot do it alone. It is not strong enough. We need big levers.”
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