Millions of pounds of investment has been announced today by the
South Yorkshire Mayor to support the reopening of Doncaster
Sheffield Airport (DSA), with plans forecasted to support 5,000
jobs, boost the economy by £5bn and provide wider benefits of
£2bn by 2050.
The Airport has sat idle for years despite the potential to drive
growth across the north. Today's decision by the South Yorkshire
mayor, backed by this government, would see the creation of a
sustainable aviation hub in South Yorkshire to turbocharge
economic growth in the region.
In a major boost for regional growth and example of devolution in
action, today's announcement will enable the South Yorkshire
Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to use their devolved funding
to invest in the creation of a sustainable aviation hub.
The government has confirmed it has established a working group
with Doncaster Council and SYMCA to support local efforts to
reopen the airport and explore how the project could unlock wider
benefits in the region. The first meeting, bringing together
South Yorkshire Mayor , Aviation Minister , Doncaster Council and the
government, has taken place today (Wednesday, 9
April).
Today's boost for South Yorkshire comes as the Deputy Prime
Minister agrees new shared priorities with mayors across the
country focused on the opportunities and challenges to unlocking
regional growth – a major step forward in the government's pledge
for each regional mayor to have their own Local Growth
Plan.
Deputy Prime Minister 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. 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 to support their efforts to
recreate South Yorkshire Airport City as a thriving regional
airport.
Transport Secretary said:
This Government will stop at nothing to fuel economic growth and
deliver prosperity for people up and down the country, as part of
our Plan for Change.
I'm thrilled to see devolved funding for South Yorkshire being
used to revitalise the airport project, and boost the region as a
whole, and I look forward to the first flights taking to the sky.
Mayor for South Yorkshire said:
This significant funding package, alongside the
cross-departmental government working group we have now set up,
is a vital signal of our shared commitment to our airport, to
growth, to creating good jobs in our communities, and to the
future of Doncaster and South Yorkshire.
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.
The new growth priorities agreed today will support mayors by
tapping into government levers that can help their ambitions for
their communities. Local plans will now help turbocharge regional
economies, with shared priorities including:
-
Improving transport connectivity to create a green,
integrated transport network in the North East
-
Increasing the skills base and reducing economic inactivity
in West Yorkshire
-
Boosting the availability and affordability of homes in
Liverpool
These plans will ensure a more strategic approach to regional
growth over the long-term and align government policy better to
grow and create a more future-facing economy with benefits that
are felt across the country.
The shared priorities confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister today
are the first stage of developing these major plans, with more
work underway to shape them further. Mayors will now begin to
finalise their own Local Growth Plans for publication later this
year.
Further information
-
The Mayor's investment will be supported through South
Yorkshire's devolved funding, including SYMCAs
Investment Fund and the new, flexible,
long-term Integrated Settlement which will be
implemented in SYMCA from 2026/27.
-
The new working group will meet monthly and will ensure that
the path to local prosperity is being driven forward by those
who know the region best.
Working group members:
