MP claims Doncaster Council closed down airport in magazine style campaign leaflet

Residents of the Don Valley constituency have reported receiving a magazine style campaign leaflet from MP Nick Fletcher.

The leaflet makes new claims about Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which was closed following a strategic review by owner Peel Group in 2022.

It reads: “Nick is continuing the campaign to to re-open Doncaster Sheffield Airport, challenging the council’s decision to close it.

“Our airport was a vital part of our local economy. Nick’s working with residents to petition for its return, to create more jobs and local investment.”

Local leaders at Doncaster Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority have been in consensus since the airport’s closure that it was not preventable.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said Peel had “made their mind up” at the start of the strategic review process.

During this period, the council and SYMCA made multiple offers to Peel to buy the airport, with one private investor offering £100million.

Following Peel’s refusal to sell the site, the council is now in the process of negotiating a leasehold agreement with Peel for a private operator to run the site.

Mr Fletcher has been critical of the local and regional authorities’ role throughout the process.

He previously called for Mayor Coppard to “hand back” his devolved powers to central government, stating he had failed to use them to buy the airport.