The South Yorkshire Mayor has announced a multi-million-pound investment to support the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA). This initiative is expected to create 5,000 jobs, boost the economy by £5 billion, and provide wider benefits worth £2 billion by 2050.
The airport, which has been idle for years, has the potential to drive significant growth across the north.
Today's decision, backed by the government, aims to establish a sustainable aviation hub in South Yorkshire, turbocharging economic growth in the region. This announcement is a major boost for regional development and a prime example of devolution in action. The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) will use devolved funding to invest in this project.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:
“If we are to really grow our economy and put money into the pockets of working people, regional growth needs to be hardwired into the decisions that we make.
“That’s why we have wasted no time in kick starting Local Growth Plans, owned by local leaders, and why, through our bold devolution plans, we can back our mayors and get opportunities for jobs and growth off the ground – just as they will with this thriving regional airport.
“Previous governments stood by as Doncaster Sheffield Airport was closed by its owner despite the overwhelming support for it to stay open. It now sits idle despite the potential to drive jobs and growth across the north. I am delighted to work with City of Doncaster Council and the Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard to support their efforts to recreate South Yorkshire Airport City as a thriving regional airport.”
The government has formed a working group with Doncaster Council and SYMCA to support local efforts to reopen the airport and explore the project's potential benefits. The first meeting, held on 9 April, brought together South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, Aviation Minister Mike Kane, Doncaster Council, and government representatives.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard also commented:
“This significant funding package, alongside the cross-departmental government working group we have now set up, is a vital signal of our shared commitment to our airport, to growth, to creating good jobs in our communities, and to the future of Doncaster and South Yorkshire.
“Since day one, we have been fighting for our airport, so we can create good jobs in the industries of the future and play our part in developing the sustainable aviation technologies of tomorrow. To now have the support of a government who don’t just understand that opportunity but truly want to help us realise it, couldn’t be more important.”
This investment comes as the Deputy Prime Minister agrees on new shared priorities with mayors across the country, focusing on unlocking regional growth. These priorities include improving transport connectivity in the North East, increasing the skills base in West Yorkshire, and boosting housing availability in Liverpool.
The shared priorities are the first stage in developing comprehensive Local Growth Plans, which will help turbocharge regional economies. These plans aim to create a more strategic approach to long-term growth, aligning government policy to foster a future-facing economy with benefits felt nationwide.
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