Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Mayor Ros Jones confirms compulsory purchase of the site now a possibility
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But Ros Jones, the elected mayor of Doncaster, says she wants to look at immediate efforts to keep the facility open before she starts making the order which would have to be put in place, because of the time it would take.
And she has also confirmed that under rules put in place last year, the site cannot be used for anything other than aviation uses until at least 2035.
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Hide AdMrs Jones said: “I want to reiterate my position in relation to the planning consents around Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Gateway East.
“Our Local Plan was approved and adopted last year, this stipulates that the Airport Operational Area of circa 800 acres can only be developed for aviation uses and infrastructure required for the safe operation and growth of operational passenger and freight at the Airport and the Local Plan will run until 2035.
“I am aware of interest around the potential use by Doncaster Council of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). This is indeed an option available to us but is a considerable legal process that would take roughly two years. I have not ruled out carrying out a CPO, but I would rather focus our immediate efforts on seeking to keep Doncaster Sheffield Airport open.”
Operator Peel Group announced plans to close the airport this week, and plans to begin winding down the provision of aviation services from October 31.
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Hide AdPeel said DSA will continue to work closely with airport customers and other users to explain the impact of this service reduction and work with them to minimise the disruption to their operations and customers.
Peel announced on Monday that a Strategic Review at the airport had ended.
They said: “Regretfully, no tangible proposals have been received regarding the ownership of the airport or which address the fundamental lack of financial viability. The high fixed costs associated with running a safe, regulated airport, together with recent events materially reducing prospective future aviation income streams, mean that a break-even business plan cannot be identified for the foreseeable future.”