Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Oliver Coppard says decision on funding to reopen site coming 'early September'

Mayor Coppard made the announcement at the start of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) AGM.

He told the board work commissioned into the viability of the airport project earlier this year was “well underway” and added: “We expect to be able to make an investment decision in early September.”

The Mayor had pushed a decision on whether to release gainshare funding to support the reopening of the airport to “summer 2025”. Whilst later than planned, the new projection offers a clearer timeline of the road ahead.

He told the meeting: “I realise that people are frustrated… but we have to get it right.

“If we don’t prepare properly it will fail. We have to make sure we get it right the first time.”

Coppard said it was important to protect taxpayers money – as current projections for the cost of reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport approach £150million.

Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones, who was not in attendance at the SYMCA meeting and was substituted by deputy mayor Glyn Jones, welcomed the announcement and thanked the South Yorkshire Mayor for the commitment.

She said in a statement: “I must emphasise the importance of the Gainshare decision in early September and swift release of Gainshare funding alongside the £30m from Government that the Prime Minister announced in April.

“We are at a critical point, where we need this certainty of funding in order to continue our plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport. We need the certainty to progress with our Airspace, sign-up airlines and freight providers and employ and train the hundreds of staff required to operate an airport.

“Whilst we acknowledge that this is public money and the need for due diligence, we are pleased that Oliver has signalled that the assurance work continues to build confidence over the summer and that he has committed that the decision in early September will be the final decision on Gainshare.”

Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport was the central election commitment from Mayor Jones, who narrowly retained the role over Reform UK’s Alexander Jones.

During the election campaign, the prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner visited the airport site to announce a £30m package to support its return.

The airport closed in 2022 after the operators, the Peel Group, deemed it unviable.

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, reiterated her backing for reopening the airport in her recent spending review.

The Civil Aviation Authority announced in May that it was redrawing Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s airspace, which the Aviation Minister said “brings the reopening of the airport yet another step closer”.

Mayor Coppard told the SYMCA meeting he also hoped to “unlock the potential” of the Gateway East development around the airport site.

He said: “It isn’t just about reopening an airport – it’s about unlocking the potential of that whole site as a hub for advanced technology and innovation as a means to creating thousands of jobs and opportunities.”

Reacting to the update, Councillor Guy Aston, leader of the Reform UK group on the City of Doncaster Council, said: “Labour is dithering while Doncaster waits. Oliver Coppard’s latest delay is yet another sign that SYMCA can’t get its act together.

“We were promised urgency. Instead, we get vague promises and empty timelines.

“If the plans for Doncaster Sheffield Airport are as watertight as Labour claims, why is Coppard dragging his feet? What does he know that Ros Jones isn’t telling us?

“Doncaster deserves transparency, not closed-door briefings and political theatre.”

Doncaster Conservative group leader, Cllr Steve Cox, said: “The businesses and residents of Doncaster have been strung along for far too long by the two Labour mayors.

“The Mayor of Doncaster was elected on a mandate of flights by Spring 2026. This is looking more and more unlikely as the decision around Doncaster using its own gainshare keeps being extended. Do the other South Yorkshire councils have to ask for ‘permission’ to use their own money?”

Cllr Nick Allen, deputy leader of the Doncaster Conservatives added: “All of this goes back to signing the lease without an operator in place. It’s naive and Doncaster’s taxpayers are paying the price.”