THE GOVERNMENT has backed plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport with £30million in funding.
The South Yorkshire Mayor has announced a £30million devolved funding investment into reopening giving the region a major economic boost.
The funding will go towards critical infrastructure to support the creation of a sustainable aviation hub, which will aid success and private investment in .
A new working group met yesterday to discuss the airport reopening – which could create around 5,000 new jobs and boost the economy by £5billion by 2050.
The airport is also predicted to contribute to wider of £2billion by 2050.
The airport has sat unused since 2022, which is when it closed, but is not set to reopen in of next year.
The local council has signed
Once reopen, the airport will be run by council-owned company FlyDoncaster, and hopes to launch with at least four or five airlines.
Munich International Airport has also agreed to provide operational and management services.
However, the council can exit the agreement after six years.
Following the announcement of £30million investment, Deputy Prime Minister said: “Previous governments stood by as Doncaster 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.”
Mayor for South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard added: “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 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.”
The decision will allow the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to use their devolved funding to invest in the creation of the sustainable aviation hub.
The announcement comes as regions across the UK have agreed to turbocharge economic growth and as part of the government's ‘Plan for Change'.
As part of this, the government has established a working group with Doncaster Council and SYMCA to support local efforts to reopen the airport and explore how the project could also unlock other benefits for the region.
Some of the priorities recently agreed include improving connectivity to create a green, integrated transport network in the North East, increasing the skills base and reducing economic inactivity in and boosting the availability and affordability of homes in .
