Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Next steps for airport reopening underway

The next steps to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) have been given the green light by the council.

During a meeting on Wednesday (June 19), Doncaster Council’s cabinet heard a report outlining the timing of the council’s efforts to secure an investor to restart operations at the airport, which has been closed by its owner Peel Group, in 2022.

Since closing, Peel Group has agreed to lease the site to a new operator. Doncaster Council signed a lease with the company earlier this year, Yorkshire Live reports.

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The Board is now actively seeking a suitable investor. According to the latest report, potential investors have already submitted their bids and investment plans to the board earlier this week.

An “intensive evaluation period” will follow, during which the board aims to select the most promising proposal. This selection process is expected to be completed by the end of July.

The winning bidder will be announced in late July or early August and Mayor Ros Jones will make a public announcement shortly thereafter.

There will then be a period of necessary legal processes, followed by the submission of a formal business case to the South Yorkshire Combined Mayor’s Authority. Following approval, the investor will sign a contract to take over the site in September.

Mayor Jones shared encouraging words about the South Yorkshire Airport City Plan, saying “considerable progress” has been made towards the project’s goals. The project, which intends to reopen the area with a surrounding investment hub, received unanimous approval from cabinet members for future measures.