Nick Fletcher re-ignites South Yorks Mayor criticism and calls for compulsory purchase of airport

Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher wrote to Oliver Coppard and the council in a Facebook post earlier, following the news that Doncaster Sheffield Airport will close.

The MP has continuously been in negotiations with investors and the government since the airport was placed under review.

He said: “I fail to understand why Peel will not accept SYMCA’s offer.

“This covers their losses for the next 13 months.

“It saves jobs through a ‘cost of living’ crisis.

“It gives them a better business relationship with the local authority and it restores their reputation.

“This surely is a ‘win, win.’

“Instead they choose to make a decision which means the loss of 2,700 jobs and a loss of £100m to the local economy.

“Regardless, I am writing today to the Oliver Coppard and Doncaster Council to immediately start the process of the Compulsory Purchase Order on this site if Peel do not reverse their decision forthwith.”

Last week, it was announced that the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) had put forward an offer to Peel which included funding to keep the airport open while negotiations took place.

The offer was rejected by Peel.

The MP then referred to a Facebook post from himself back in July, where he questioned the role of the SYMCA and Mayor Oliver Coppard.

The post read: “If devolved powers include economic growth, which they do, why has this Mayor allowed a key economic driver for South Yorkshire be lost? How on earth did we end up in this position?

“These are questions for a much later date but questions nonetheless. There may well be a public inquiry given the grievous damage this will cause to Doncaster.

“It would be a shocking example of how to use or not use devolved powers. Maybe they need to be returned to Government so they do get used.

“I cannot state strongly enough that this threatened closure of DSA is a matter for our SYMCA. The powers to support economic growth sit with the Mayor not our government.”