Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Mayor campaigns to protect site’s Controlled Airspace

Mayor Ros Jones has called on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to protect Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s Controlled Airspace to allow for it to reopen in the future.

The airport closed last year after site owners Peel Group deemed its operations to be no longer financially viable.

Doncaster Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) presented offers to buy the site however these were rejected.

A Controlled Airspace is required for airports to carry out commercial flights with Air Traffic Control.

The CAA has begun a process of consultation with stakeholders in the site to hear their views which will end on 17 February, with a decision on the airspace to follow.

If it is lost, it could undermine current plans to re-open the airport, particularly when attracting new investors.

The council has written a letter to the CAA asking that the airport’s Controlled Airspace designation remains suspended for 12 months while negotiations are ongoing.

Mayor Ros Jones said: “Doncaster Sheffield Airport can and should be a success! That is why we are doing all we can to see our airport reopen.

“I am seeking cross party political, public and business support to ensure that the case is pressed with the CAA to ensure we don’t lose the airspace permanently that is currently suspended.

“This is important to the future of DSA and I believe with a united front we can urge that the current airspace designations are not lost. It is one less hurdle for a new airport operator to have to negotiate and would enable the airport to re-establish itself more quickly.”

Mark Chadwick of SAVE Doncaster Sheffield Airport added: “Doncaster needs its airport, as shown by the huge amount of public support, with over 105,000 signing the petition and 21,000 people involved on our Facebook group.

“It is vital that we keep our airspace, as potential buyers are still in talks over a potential purchase.”

Last month, it was revealed that while Peel Group are still rejecting buyers offers, they have proposed a potential leasehold of the site to the council.