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Plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport now rely on over £100 million of public money after the council failed to secure a private operator.
City of Doncaster Council has confirmed that an unnamed international airport operator is “waiting in the wings” to partner with a new council-owned company, FlyDoncaster, and run the airport.
According to Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) findings, the council would set up FlyDoncaster using £105.2 million of subsidised-interest loans.
The airport, formerly known as Robin Hood Airport, has been closed since November 2022 after the site was declared not financially viable by Peel Group, the land owners.
In November 2024, the City of Doncaster Council requested a report concerning a proposed subsidy to FlyDoncaster Limited after the South Yorkshire Mayoral Authority (SYMCA) gave the council £3 million to support the airport’s opening.
The report published by the SAU on 22 January said £60.6 million would cover start-up costs and a £44.6 million loan would be used for rent deferral to be repaid over 25 years.
It also recommended that the council explain “more clearly” to taxpayers why it chose to create a new company to operate the airport rather than a private operator.
Last March, the council signed a lease agreement with Peel, covering the site for 125 years.
Doncaster mayor Ros Jones said last year that the first passenger flights could take off from Doncaster Sheffield Airport as soon as spring 2026.
Mayor Ros said at a council meeting on Wednesday (23 January): “I want to confirm to the council and the people of Doncaster that we have an international airport operator, ready and waiting in the wings to work with us.
“FlyDoncaster is a wholly owned company of this council, which has been established to manage the airport and partner with our international airport operator.”
She added: “This is set to be the largest single investment in Doncaster for more than a generation, hence the considerable level of due diligence and our rigorous and logical approach to accomplish this monumental challenge of saving and re-opening our airport.
“This is a Team Doncaster and Team South Yorkshire effort, I would like to thank the residents and businesses of Doncaster for their patience, we are not over the line yet, but we are nearly there.”
Airport budget proposals and approval from SYMCA are scheduled over the next few weeks ahead of a full council meeting on 27 February.
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Source: independent.co.uk
