South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has agreed to buy Doncaster Sheffield Airport from the current owners Peel, in a move that brings it closer to relaunching flights next year.
The SYMCA is also buying the adjacent Innovation Quarter employment land.
Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Today is a big step on the journey to reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport and building a world leading sustainable aviation hub at Gateway East.”
“We’ve had to work incredibly hard to get here.
“After months of negotiations with Peel, and the greater flexibility and confidence we now have as a result of devolution, we’ve reached a deal that I genuinely believe can offer huge opportunity to people across South Yorkshire.”
The deal must still be formally approved by Peel, which closed Doncaster Sheffield Airport in November 2022.
For the past four years, City of Doncaster Council has been working to reopen it with public funds after failing to find a private operator.
Buying the airport from Peel means local authorities will own both DSA and Fly Doncaster, the arm’s-length company set up by City of Doncaster Council to run the airport.
Freight services are planned to return from autumn 2027, with passenger services returning in spring 2028, subject to the regulatory and operational work required to reopen the airport.
The Mayor will host a public meeting at 6 pm on 9 November at the Club Doncaster Sports Village to provide an update on DSA and answer questions from the public.
