Plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport have resumed after local Reform councillors agreed not to oppose a £57 million loan that will support the project. The aviation base, which closed in 2022 when the operator deemed it financially unviable, left South Yorkshire without a significant hub for international flights.
Background and Negotiations
Since the closure, local authorities and central government have explored ways to revive the airport and restart flights. Negotiations have been ongoing with the landowner to lease the airport to Doncaster Council. A previously agreed £57 million loan, essential for the reopening, was threatened with withdrawal by Doncaster’s Reform councillors. The party later explained that this was due to a lack of awareness of key clauses in the agreement at the time of the original vote in November 2025.
Council Meeting Outcome
During an extraordinary council meeting on Wednesday, 11 May, Reform members agreed to allow the loan to remain in place, provided councillors receive copies of the lease before approval. A City of Doncaster Council spokesperson stated: “The decision taken at today’s Extraordinary Full Council meeting means that the airport programme can recommence. In addition, discussions with the landowner will now be restarted and reported accordingly. We remain committed to reopening Doncaster Sheffield airport and delivering the jobs and growth it will bring to the region. Work will continue at pace, in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and other stakeholders, subject to ongoing risk management and the progression of funding agreements.”
Political Context
Reform became the largest party in Doncaster Council after the 2025 elections, yet the council has an elected Labour mayor who leads alongside her cabinet. Jason Charity, deputy leader of Reform UK Doncaster, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the threat to withdraw the loan was intended to encourage the council to negotiate with the party. “If we had started with the amendment, it would probably be watered down to a set of safeguards that probably wouldn't have done much,” he said. “Of course, Labour will call it a U-turn, what I would call this is a refinement of the deal.”
UFO Monitoring Proposal
At the same meeting, Reform UK councillor Kieran Lay suggested establishing a “Doncaster UAP Overview and Safety Committee or panel” to track “unidentified anomaly phenomena,” also known as UFOs, at Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Mr Lay later told BBC News he made the comments “to spice things up, but also bring a bit more attention” to safety issues around objects like drones.
