South Yorkshire mayor says "no blank cheque" for Doncaster Sheffield Airport but project remains on track
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has said that £16m initial funding to help reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport does not mean there is a “blank cheque” for the project.
The mayor spoke in a response to a question from a member of the public at a meeting of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority board (July 14).
The questioner said September was a critical time for the airport plan and asked if appropriate protections are in place for taxpayers and to make sure the project did not collapse.
They also wanted to know how much public money would be recoverable if the reopening does not go ahead.
Mayor Coppard said: “I’ve always been clear there’s no blank cheque for the project.
“We absolutely have to protect taxpayers’ money as well as doing everything we can to reopen DSA and expanding our gateway as a world-leading sustainable aviation hub.
Progress
“We want to see that progress but public funding, as people would expect, has to be protected and the right safeguards must be in place.”
There are clauses in the funding agreement to ensure that, he added.
Mayor Coppard said SYMCA and City of Doncaster Council are involved in ongoing negotiations with landowner and former operator Peel Group. They closed the airport in 2022.
Most aspects of the lease variations have been agreed. The turnover rent clause remains under active discussion.
“As I have said from the beginning of this process, whilst I want to see swift progress on this lease negotiation, it has to be the right deal.”
The mayor added that work taking place on the site has not stopped during the negotiations.
Protection
Spring 2028 remains the expected reopening date.
Dave Pike from the regional TUC asked what is being done to ensure that contracts with companies involved with the airport will include protection for workers’ pay and conditions, health and safety and trade union recognition.
Mayor Coppard thanked trade unions for their campaigning work to get the airport reopened. He said it is important that airport jobs are good quality and well paid.
He said that equality questions are include in the procurement process. Although he could not make a promise on behalf of operators Fly Doncaster, they share those values.
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