South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is preparing to buy Doncaster Sheffield Airport and adjacent employment land from Peel Land, under a proposed deal intended to support the airport’s reopening and wider development of the site.
image: SYMCA
The proposals will now be considered by the SYMCA board and also requires approval from Peel Land. If completed, SYMCA would become the freehold owner of the airport and the adjoining Innovation Quarter employment site.
The airport closed in November 2022 after its owners concluded that it was no longer financially viable. It handled more than 1.4m passengers in 2019, its last full year before closure. Since then, South Yorkshire’s political leaders have pursued plans to restore aviation operations and develop the surrounding area for employment and investment.
Under the proposed arrangements, City of Doncaster Council would continue to operate the airport through its company, FlyDoncaster Ltd, while SYMCA would take ownership of the site. Doncaster’s cabinet is due to consider the associated governance and operational arrangements on 28 October. The proposed structure would also remove the need for the council to proceed with £57m of additional borrowing previously approved for the project.
Preparations for reopening have continued since the closure, including recruitment to senior aviation roles, work on airspace change proposals and procurement planning for equipment such as fire tenders and radar systems.
The current timetable envisages freight services returning from autumn 2027, followed by passenger flights in spring 2028. Both milestones remain dependent on completing the regulatory, technical and operational work required to reopen the airport.
The airport is also intended to form part of a wider South Yorkshire Airport City development, combining aviation with advanced manufacturing, research and innovation. The adjacent Gateway East area includes plans for investment in sustainable aviation technologies, including Boeing-led research into lightweight aircraft structures.
South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard and Doncaster mayor Ros Jones have argued that public ownership would give the region greater control over the airport’s future and provide a basis for attracting private investment. The financial viability of renewed airport operations and the extent of future public-sector support remain important considerations as the proposals move through the approval process.