The Government has backed the decision by the South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard to invest £30m to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).
The devolved funding is set to be invested in critical infrastructure aimed at supporting the creation of what is billed as a ‘sustainable aviation hub’.
It is forecasted that the move could support 5,000 jobs, boost the economy by £5bn and provide wider benefits of £2bn by 2050.?
‘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,’ Mayor Coppard said.
‘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.’
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: ‘Previous governments stood by as Doncaster Sheffield Airport was closed by its owner despite the overwhelming support for it to stay open. 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.’
Critics of the reopening of the airport, such as the South Yorkshire Climate Alliance, argue that it is a commercially unviable airport that would further undermine the fight against climate change.
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