Council to use public funds to reopen airport

More than £100m of public money will be needed to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport after councillors failed to secure the necessary private funding.

City of Doncaster Council said instead the site would be run by a new publicly-owned company called Fly Doncaster in partnership with an as yet unnamed "international operator".

The airport has been closed since 2022 after Peel Group said the site was not financially viable.

According to a government report, FlyDoncaster would be set up with £105.2m of low-interest loans from the council.

The report, by the Subsidy Advice Unit, said £60.6m would cover start-up and other costs, while a further £44.6m would plug a shortfall caused by the deferral of rent payments by the leaseholder for 10 years.

It went on to say the council should explain to taxpayers why it had chosen to set up FlyDoncaster and why the operator would not have to pay rent for the first decade.

Speaking to BBC Look North, Jones said there had been been "several offers" of investment but with the "amount of subsidy private sector [investors] were wanting it seemed inappropriate not to have proper control".

She said: "I believe it is a good investment, medium to long term. It won't happen overnight.

"It is not only good for Doncaster, it is good for South Yorkshire and wider afield [and] we believe over time the private sector will want to come in, it's the initial getting it off the ground."

The council said last year the first passenger flights could take off the airport by spring 2026.

In November, South Yorkshire Mayoral Authority (SYMCA) authorised £3m to be given to the council in support of the airport's reopening.

It also previously agreed "in principle" to release £138m to the council to be used towards investments including reopening the airport, "subject to the right deal being struck with the right partner".

Doncaster Sheffield Airport, previously Robin Hood Airport, was declared to be no longer financially viable by Peel, who still own the former RAF Finningley base and would lease the land to the council.

In November last year, Doncaster Council suggested the first passenger flights could take off by spring 2026.

A spokesperson for SYMCA said the mayoral authority would "carefully review" the SAU report's findings in line with its "responsibilities to taxpayers on both growth and spending."

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