'There’s a light at the end of the tunnel’ for Doncaster Sheffield Airport - mayor

Oliver Coppard was asked to give an update at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s (SYMCA) overview and scrutiny board last week (September 21) about the news concerning the Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).

As the local democracy service reported, Doncaster Council’s cabinet has given the go-ahead for negotiations to take place to find an investor to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Negotiations will begin to select an investor who aims to create a leasehold agreement with owners Peel to run the site for over 100 years.At a meeting at SYMCA headquarters, Coun Ken Wyatt (Rotherham) asked if the mayor had any sort of insight around the potential reopening of the Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Coun Wyatt told the committee it’s “really difficult we don’t have a regional airport”.

He asked: “Are you (Mr Coppard) willing to use your good officers to get those services restored there in Doncaster?”

Oliver Coppard, the South Yorkshire mayor, said “we are and we have been (helping).

He said: “It has been a saga caused by Peel Group.”

Mr Coppard added they have been working with Doncaster City Council “hand in glove” to first save the airport and now open it.

He said: “It has been a joint partnership between us and them – and it has to be said, with absolutely zero help from the government and Conservative MPs in the region, as well.

“We have been doing everything we can to try and get DSA to fly again.”

He added while it’s still a long way to go, “there’s a light at the end of the tunnel”.

Earlier last week, Doncaster’s mayor Ros Jones said: “I am pleased to say that the report suggests we were right to have faith in the potential of the airport. It suggests that the airport can be financially viable and that successfully reopening DSA would deliver major economic benefits and excellent value for money. It also considers that reopening is likely to be the optimal solution when compared to alternative potential uses.

“Initial discussions with the market have also been positive and suggest there is substantial interest from potential operators. In addition, and importantly, discussions with the current landowners have led us to believe that there is a realistic chance of agreeing a lease for the airport which would enable us to expedite the reopening process.”