Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Peel confirms extension to talks despite no 'tangible proposals' over future

Local politicians have been pressing for the the six week strategic review considering the airport’s future and announced in July to be extended, with some calling for it to be stretched out to the end of the year.

But Peel has said it wants a rapid end to speculation over the airport’s future and this afternoon announced that it will extend talks only until September 16 – and that so far no ‘tangible proposals’ over its future had been offered.

In a brief statement, Peel said: “Since the public statement on 13 July announcing the commencement of the Strategic Review, the Board of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and its owner, the Peel Group, have been undertaking extensive engagement with key stakeholders to discuss the future of the Airport.

“From the beginning of the review process, we have advised stakeholders that we would be willing to extend the timetable of the Strategic Review if there were tangible proposals to consider that address the underlying lack of viability of the aviation operations.

"To continue the uncertainty by prolonging the Strategic Review until the end of 2022 as requested without any tangible proposals to consider would be unsustainable for colleagues employed at the Airport and untenable for our business partners, airlines and passengers.

“However, we recognise that there is rising speculation as we approach the end of August about next steps.

"We can therefore confirm that despite the lack of any tangible proposals from public or private sector partners, we have agreed an extension to the consultation to 16 September to allow more time for key stakeholders to conclude their discussions. As is appropriate, our employees were notified of this decision in advance of this public statement.

“No further statements will be made until the findings of the Strategic Review are announced.”

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones and Don Valley Conservative MP Nick Fletcher confirmed at the weekend that talks were set to continue over DSA’s future.