Doncaster-Sheffield Airport is one step closer to re-opening after Doncaster City Council announced a 125-year lease has been signed to take over the site.
The lease will help ensure the future of the airport with an ambition to return planes to the skies across the city.
The announcement follows over a year of complex negotiations with landowners the Peel Group and is the first stage in the process to reopen the airport.
“Let’s look forward to the future with an airport that will help boost the economic and growth fortunes of our city, South Yorkshire and the north.”
Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones said: “This is a major step in the reopening process. The next is appointing an operator and investor who will manage and develop the airport. This process is well underway and I am optimistic that I can announce a partnership later in the spring.
“I would like to personally thank council officers who have worked tirelessly with great dedication, insight, determination and skill to get us to where we are today. This has been no mean feat. Let’s look forward to the future with an airport that will help boost the economic and growth fortunes of our city, South Yorkshire and the north.”
Responding to the announcement, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard said: “I am very pleased at today’s news that City of Doncaster Council have agreed a lease with Peel which is an important step on the way to re-opening Doncaster-Sheffield Airport.
“We will only ever do things in a way that protects taxpayers while giving both DSA and South Yorkshire the brightest possible future.”
“There remain steps ahead on this journey, the next one being bringing in a private operator with the capability and experience to turn DSA into the thriving regional airport we know it can be.
“I am keen to see the Council now secure that private sector operator to run the airport as swiftly as possible. Once they have that agreement in place, the Mayoral Combined Authority stands ready to assess the Full Business Case (FBC) in order to release the funding to support this deal, and to get DSA flying again.
“I know people want us to move quickly and we will, but I have said from the start, we will only ever do things in a way that protects taxpayers while giving both DSA and South Yorkshire the brightest possible future.”
