South Yorkshire Mayor to purchase Doncaster Sheffield Airport in shock move
Purchasing Doncaster Sheffield Airport is a significant change in direction after a year of lease negotiations.
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is close to signing a deal to purchase Doncaster Sheffield Airport from the Peel Group, it can be revealed.
Sources with knowledge of the purchase plans have said it is ‘great news for Doncaster’ and Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).
They stated most of the deal has been agreed, describing it as a ‘good deal’, but did not reveal any figures involved.
Plans to purchase the airport site is a significant change of direction for DSA’s reopening, after a year of private talks between the City of Doncaster Council, the SYMCA and landowner Peel to agree a new lease.
The release of £160million of funding for the reopening of DSA has been held by SYMCA since September 2025, and was only due to be released once a number of conditions, including renegotiating the lease, were met.
Details of where the money will be coming from are yet to be confirmed.
When approached for comment on the airport purchase, a spokesperson for the SYMCA said: “Negotiations with the landowner continue to progress positively and constructive discussions remain ongoing.
“As set out in our forward plan for key decisions, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board is due to receive an update on Doncaster Sheffield Airport at its meeting later this month.
“As negotiations are ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this stage.”
A spokesperson for the City of Doncaster Council said: “Conversations happen frequently about DSA and we do not comment on speculation. The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board will meet this month and be updated on the airport. We will keep our communities and businesses up to date on progress at the appropriate point.”
Doncaster Council have been working to reopen DSA using public funds after attempts to find a private operator were unsuccessful.
The airport closed in 2022 after the Peel Group determined it was ‘commercially unviable’.
Purchasing the airport from Peel means local authorities will own both DSA and Fly Doncaster Ltd, the arms-length company set up by Doncaster Council to run the airport.