Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) could reopen by 2027, as a consultation on an Airspace Change Proposal was launched this month. The airport, which closed four years ago after its operator deemed it financially unviable, is now the focus of efforts to revive it as a travel hub.
Consultation on Airspace Change
The consultation, run by DSA, seeks views from residents, businesses, and stakeholders until midnight on October 4. Feedback will inform a final proposal to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which removed the site's controlled airspace status, meaning air traffic control can no longer operate.
The proposal outlines arrival and departure routes and changes to controlled airspace. While noise levels may increase in some areas, the document suggests a negligible impact on local air quality.
Timeline for Reopening
If approved, the airspace could be reinstated in 2028, with around three daily departures initially, rising to 17 a day within ten years. The final proposal is expected to go to the CAA in January 2027, with a response hoped by May 2027, allowing freight operations to begin the same year for those not requiring airspace changes.
Support and Regeneration Plans
The plans are central to South Yorkshire Airport City (SYAC), a regeneration project aiming to restore aviation services and create thousands of jobs in manufacturing, engineering, logistics, and green technologies. The project is a partnership between national government, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and City of Doncaster Council.
Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed the reopening, promising £30 million in support and reversing the previous government's 2024 decision to block regional funding. "We are backing this region as a sustainable aviation hub in South Yorkshire and giving lift-off for growth here in Doncaster," Starmer said in April 2025. Current PM Andy Burnham said last month the reopening is "within touching distance."
Leeds Bradford Airport remains the main operational commercial airport in Yorkshire, with Humberside Airport serving the eastern region and Manchester Airport offering more international options.
