Doncaster Mayor: it’s not too late for U-turn on Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Mayor Ros Jones wrote a statement today urging Peel to reconsider their decision to close Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which currently employs over 800 people.

She said: “Peel stated that they cannot responsibly accept public money, well I find it completely unacceptable to make over 800 employees out of a job during these difficult economic times and close to Christmas. We have also seen over £75 million of public money invested in and around the airport site to support its operation, growth and improve access.

“It is not too late for Peel to change their mind, to consider the credible and serious offers from the market in order to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport as an operational airport.

“I want to reiterate my position in relation to the planning consents around Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Gateway East.

“Our Local Plan was approved and adopted last year, this stipulates that the Airport Operational Area of circa 800 acres can only be developed for aviation uses and infrastructure required for the safe operation and growth of operational passenger and freight at the Airport and the Local Plan will run for 15 years.

“I support our local MPs who have called for the Government to step in and nationalise the airport whilst a new owner is found. DSA is more than just an airport, it is a site of national strategic importance to the United Kingdom with National Police Air Service, Coastguard maintenance operations and is regularly used by the military. The Prime Minister made it clear how important regional airports are for economic growth in her first PMQs so I would urge her and her cabinet to help make that happen.

“I am aware of interest around the potential use by Doncaster Council of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). This is indeed an option available to us but is a considerable legal process that would take roughly two years. I have not ruled out carrying out a CPO, but I would rather focus our immediate efforts on seeking to keep the airport open.”

Nick Fletcher, MP for Don Valley, called for a CPO in a Facebook post earlier today. He further called for a public enquiry into Peel and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) earlier today, questioning the effectiveness of its role as a devolved body.

The SYMCA last week put an offer in to Peel Group formulated of a group of investors to take over the airport and offered to give funding to keep it profitable while negotiations were ongoing. Peel rejected this offer.

Meanwhile, Doncaster’s Labour MPs Ed Miliband and Dame Rosie Winterton called for Prime Minister Liz Truss to “step up” to save the airport after she previously committed to protecting it during her first Prime Minister's Questions.

If the closure goes ahead, the airport will begin ceasing operations from 31 October.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport, formerly named and commonly referred to as Robin Hood Airport, opened to passengers in 2005.