Project to extend car park at Doncaster Sheffield delayed due to discovery of protected species

Sheffield City Region bosses, who made the announcement at a recent meeting, said DSA had requested the reprofiling of around £190,000 in loan funds to the following year.

Airport bosses said they estimate the work will be put back for a further nine months.

The city region approved a £5 million loan for the airport to aid in a larger expansion plan.

Work on the car park was due to begin in April but the project is expected to begin in January 2021.

Wider plans for the airport also include a new enlarged central search area at the northern end of level three of the terminal which will also include ‘smart lane’ technology to improve processing.

Bosses also want to use the money to reconfigure the level three departure lounge, linking the exit with the new central search area along with improving passenger facilities.

The plans will also feature two new departure gates with link bridges to the planes - including one for passengers with reduced mobility.

The level one international arrivals and immigration area is down to be expanded along with a ‘lightweight single storey extension’ to the terminal building to allow more passengers to come through.

It wasn't revealed what the protected species was.

Ruth Adams, deputy managing director of the Sheffield City Region, said: “Due to the finding of protected species, there has been a delay in the work and is requiring a nine month extension to the delivery window and a reprofiling of £190,000 into 2020/2021.

“They have also requested to repay the loan in a single payment at the end rather than stage payments.

“The programme can accommodate the slippage into 2021 and we’re asking for members to agree to those change requests.”