“I will not give up”: Mayor gives end of year message on Doncaster Sheffield Airport

The airport was closed earlier this year by owners Peel Group as they claimed it was not economically viable to keep it running, and this met with some fierce opposition from many parties.

Doncaster Council, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and local politicians have all championed using legal means to prevent the airport’s closure.

Mayor Ros Jones’ statement reads: “At our Full Council meeting in November Doncaster Councillors voted unanimously to pursue all legal routes to retain aviation operations at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

“Doncaster Council officers have continued to progress the necessary preparatory steps for the next stages of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). This process includes the appointment of expert land referencing and valuation services.

“Having such expert advice in place will enable the preliminary statutory processes to get started early in the New Year. A further report to set out the detailed next steps will then be brought before councillors in early 2023.

“I have written again to the Civil Aviation Authority, asking them to ensure DSA airspace can be protected as we progress with CPO.

“Market interest remains strong with a number of parties remaining interested in acquiring the site either directly from Peel or via the competitive processes that Doncaster Council would initiate alongside CPO to secure an operator/investor.

“But we need to be realistic in that any potential investor may be more inclined to wait until we CPO the site given the airport is now closed and the cost and timescales involved in getting it back into operation may well discourage.

“However we believe conversations are still ongoing between the interested parties we brought to Peel. I have not heard any further update and don’t expect to until the New Year.

“It did not have to be like this, despite all our best efforts it was the decision of Peel to close DSA, my Christmas wish is that we manage to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport, it can and should be a successful airport and key economic driver for Doncaster, South Yorkshire and the North!

“I will not give up on its future – where there is a will, there is a way and look to 2023 with renewed vigour and fight.”

When Peel Group announced a date for the airport’s closure, Doncaster Council and the SYMCA worked together to present the firm with a number of potential buyers.

Peel Group turned down all offers presented to them.

Local MPs have also called on the government to step in to protect the site.

Doncaster’s Labour MPs called on the previous Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, however she claimed that it was between the council and the owners.

Earlier this month, a process of judicial review also deemed that the court could not use law to prevent the airport’s closure.

Doncaster Council now relies on the potential Compulsory Purchase Order to reopen the site in the future.