Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Council takes Peel to court in DSA judicial review

The authority has submitted an application for a judicial review into the firm’s decision to close the airport earlier this month.

And council bosses are hoping for a judgement as early as next week as the fight to save the airport goes on.

Talks between Peel and an interested consortium are still ongoing, authority chiefs have said.

A Doncaster Council spokesperson said: "Our case for a judicial review was put before a judge yesterday who is now going to consider and make a judgement potentially next week.

"In the meantime, the agreement not to dismantle the site remains still in place.

"We cannot comment any further as this case has not been determined.

"Contrary to reports over the weekend, we understand the bidders are still engaged in ongoing negotiations with Peel and are seeking a meeting."

At the hearing at Leeds Adminstrative Court before Mr Justice Fordham, the council argued that the airport's owners had not left time for a buyer to make a realistic offer.

But site operators Peel Group said no viable offer for the site was made and a judicial review should not go ahead.

The last flight landed at the airport on November 4, although some staff are still employed at the Finningley site with a licence for the airport to continue operating still in place.

At the hearing in Leeds, Doncaster Council also applied for an injunction to stop the airport being what it described as "asset-stripped".

Local businessman Mark Chadwick, who has been leading the fight to save the airport through his Save Doncaster Sheffield Airport Facebook page, welcomed the news and said: “The great news is that the judge didn’t throw it out of court – I bet that was a shock for Peel and their solicitors and barristers.

“In a nut shell, we've had another step in the right direction. Peel have found out they can't just do what they want and the courts have proved that

“Peel have found out that they are answerable to the courts and hopefully our authorities and our community.”