- South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority approved the purchase of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
- The authority will become freehold owner and landlord to the City of Doncaster Council lease.
- The airport has been closed since late 2022.
- Passenger services could return in spring 2028 and freight in autumn 2027.
- The public investment has been estimated at £193m (€221m).
Plans to bring Doncaster Sheffield Airport under public ownership have been approved by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. On 28 October 2026 the authority agreed to buy the airport and adjacent Innovation Quarter employment land from current landowner Peel. The decision means the authority will become the freehold owner and landlord to the City of Doncaster Council lease. The airport has been closed since late 2022 after Peel declared it commercially unviable.
Mayor Oliver Coppard noted the deal followed months of negotiations with Peel and greater flexibility from devolution. He described the decision as a big step on the journey to reopening the airport and building a sustainable aviation hub at Gateway East. He noted that work remains, including formal approval from Peel and legal processes.
The approval follows an earlier indication that passenger services could return in spring 2028 with freight operations planned from autumn 2027. The wider vision includes aerospace manufacturing, green aviation innovation and employment across more than 1,000 acres. The public investment required to revive the project has been estimated at £193m (€221m).
Oliver Coppard shared “Today is a big step on the journey to reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport and building a world leading sustainable aviation hub at Gateway East. We’ve had to work incredibly hard to get here. After months of negotiations with Peel, and the greater flexibility and confidence we now have as a result of devolution, we’ve reached a deal that I genuinely believe can offer huge opportunity to people across South Yorkshire.”
