A BID which sought to reopen a long-closed airport has been cleared for take off - and the multi-million pound investment has been hailed as a ‘massive opportunity’ to inspire growth by Barnsley Council’s leader who voted in favour of the plans.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which has been closed since 2022 when its former owner, Peel, decided it was no longer financially viable, has been backed by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).
Members including Barnsley Council leader Sir Steve Houghton met on Tuesday to thrash out the details of the plan, which received unanimous backing to the tune of £160m.
Sir Steve said: “We support the proposal to invest in and reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
‘It’s a massive opportunity which will help to support thousands of jobs, attract inward investment, support trade and connect South Yorkshire to the world.
“Our residents will gain improved access to travel, our businesses will be better positioned to reach new markets, and our local economy will be strengthened by the ripple effects of increased activity across logistics, hospitality, and advanced manufacturing.
“A prosperous airport will be a crucial asset in delivering long-term economic growth with the benefits felt across the whole region for years to come and allow all communities to thrive - growth strategy.”
The potential dates for opening have shifted following the funding decision and the new aim is to have freight flights resume in summer 2026 and passenger flights being able to be booked from next autumn.
Ex-operator Peel announced in September 2022 that services at the airport, which employed 800 workers, would wind down just a month later.
It said its closure was due to a ‘fundamental lack of financial viability’ and said ‘no tangible proposals’ had been received regarding its future ownership.
Mr Coppard previously said reopening the airport would support 5,000 jobs, boost the economy by £5bn and provide wider benefits of £2bn by 2050.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard added: “We’re reopening the airport and we’re clear for take off - I promised to do everything I could to reopen it when it was closed in November 2022.
“I know the process to get to this decision has had its ups and downs, and been frustrating to some, but the decision we have taken is a result of patience, commitment and unwavering support for this project.( “The journey to this point over the last three years has understandably attracted a huge amount of attention.
“Just 23 months after it was closed, we have taken the decision to commit £159.9m to reopen it next year.
“I know some people have said we should use this money to invest somewhere else, in something else.
“Even if we wanted to, there are simply no other projects of this size or scale available to us at this moment, no other comparable investment that offers us the same strategic opportunity or potential for jobs and growth. “
