UPDATE: |Doncaster Sheffield Airport reopening gets government green light as Angela Rayner issues statement News

The move could bring about the creation of 5,000 jobs in the local area

The UK government has given its backing for a £30 million investment plan which would see the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport in South Yorkshire.

The airport was opened on the site of a former RAF base south of Doncaster in 2005, but shut its doors permanently in 2022.

Since then, South Yorkshire political leaders and business groups have campaigned to reopen the facility as a keystone of wider development plans for the region.

On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said that she supported the move by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard to reopen the site.

Mayor Coppard has previously said that reopening the airport will support 5,000 jobs, boost the economy by £5 billion and provide wider benefits of £2 billion by 2050.

In January, Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave her backing for the reopening, suggesting that it be renamed South Yorkshire Airport City.

Doncaster Council has formed a fully-owned subsidiary called Fly Doncaster, and secured Munich Airport International as its strategic partner.

The collaboration will help to support the re-establishment of operations over a number of years.

Speaking on Wednesday, Ms Rayner said: “If we are to really grow our economy and put money into the pockets of working people, regional growth needs to be hardwired into the decisions that we make.

“That’s why we have wasted no time in kick starting Local Growth Plans, owned by local leaders, and why, through our bold devolution plans, we can back our mayors and get opportunities for jobs and growth off the ground – just as they will with this thriving regional airport.

“Previous governments stood by as Doncaster Sheffield Airport was closed by its owner despite the overwhelming support for it to stay open.”

She continued: “It now sits idle despite the potential to drive jobs and growth across the north.

“I am delighted to work with City of Doncaster Council and the Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard to support their efforts to recreate South Yorkshire Airport City as a thriving regional airport.”

Mr Coppard added: “Since day one, we have been fighting for our airport, so we can create good jobs in the industries of the future and play our part in developing the sustainable aviation technologies of tomorrow.

“To now have the support of a government who don’t just understand that opportunity but truly want to help us realise it, couldn’t be more important.”