A new airport.... South Yorkshire Airport City?

Doncaster Sheffield Airport Strategic Review Announcement​

Forums4airports discusses the latest press release from Doncaster Sheffield airport where the airport questions the future of the airport. The owners of the airport, the Peel Group have announced they are looking at their options as the group has decided the airport is no longer viable as an operational airport. Here's the press release:

"The Board of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) has begun a review of strategic options for the Airport. This review follows lengthy deliberations by the Board of DSA which has reluctantly concluded that aviation activity on the site may no longer be commercially viable.

DSA’s owner, the Peel Group, as the Airport’s principal funder, has reviewed the conclusions of the Board of DSA and commissioned external independent advice in order to evaluate and test the conclusions drawn, which concurs with the Board’s initial findings.

Since the Peel Group acquired the Airport site in 1999 and converted it into an international commercial airport, which opened in 2005, significant amounts have been invested in the terminal, the airfield and its operations, both in relation to the original conversion and subsequently to improve the facilities and infrastructure on offer to create an award winning airport.

However, despite growth in passenger numbers, DSA has never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable and this fundamental issue of a shortfall in passenger numbers is exacerbated by the announcement on 10 June 2022 of the unilateral withdrawal of the Wizz Air based aircraft, leaving the Airport with only one base carrier, namely TUI.

This challenge has been increased by other changes in the aviation market, the well-publicised impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly important environmental considerations. It has therefore been concluded that aviation activity may no longer be the use for the site which delivers the maximum economic and environmental benefit to the region. Against this backdrop, DSA and the Peel Group, will initiate a consultation and engagement programme with stakeholders on the future of the site and how best to maximise and capitalise on future economic growth opportunities for Doncaster and the wider Sheffield City Region.

The wider Peel Group is already delivering significant development and business opportunities on its adjoining GatewayEast development including the recent deal for over 400,000 sq ft logistics and advanced manufacturing development on site, creating hundreds of new jobs and delivering further economic investment in the region.

Robert Hough, Chairman of Peel Airports Group, which includes Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: “It is a critical time for aviation globally. Despite pandemic related travel restrictions slowly drawing to a close, we are still facing ongoing obstacles and dynamic long-term threats to the future of the aviation industry. The actions by Wizz to sacrifice its base at Doncaster to shore up its business opportunities at other bases in the South of England are a significant blow for the Airport.

Now is the right time to review how DSA can best create future growth opportunities for Doncaster and for South Yorkshire. The Peel Group remains committed to delivering economic growth, job opportunities and prosperity for Doncaster and the wider region.”

DSA and the Peel Group pride themselves on being forward-thinking whilst prioritising the welfare of staff and customers alike. As such, no further public comments will be made whilst they undertake this engagement period with all stakeholders.
During the Strategic Review, the Airport will operate as normal. Therefore passengers who are due to travel to the airport, please arrive and check in as normal. If there are any disruptions with your flight, you will be contacted by your airline in good time.
For all press enquiries, please contact Charlotte Leach at [email protected]."

"Not great news for DSA or the region"

Should the government or local council foot the bill and provide a financial subsidy to keep the airport open, thoughts...?

 

Mark Chadwick strikes me as nothing more than a fanatical aviation enthusiast who hasn't a clue about how the aviation industry works and who needs a dose of reality.

There are plenty of those idiots around. Let's refer to them as Muggles - non aviation folk.

As far as I can see - providing private traffic remains below 4500ft there will be no need to ask for transit. I guess above that LBA are asking for an extension of their CTA correct?

 

There are plenty of those idiots around. Let's refer to them as Muggles - non aviation folk.

As far as I can see - providing private traffic remains below 4500ft there will be no need to ask for transit. I guess above that LBA are asking for an extension of their CTA correct?

From what I gather yes. They have suggested raising the base in one CTA zone from 4000ft to 4500ft, the other one in question is already 4500ft. Below that will be class g as I understand it, but in those segments they already are as they are on the periphery of what is/was DSA class D. Obviously this is subject to CAA agreement.

As far as I can see there are currently no plans to retain the entire Class D airspace around DSA. I don’t think the DMBC letter will hold much weight, but suspect it would take the best part of 12 months to wipe it anyway, though the new VFR charts have removed it.

 

Surely, the whole purpose of a CPO is to force the transfer of ownership to the local authority to enable a local authority development scheme. Immediately selling it on again to a private enterprise airport operator (particularly one who has failed to offer Peel enough for them to sell directly to them) would be unacceptable legally?

Certainly would not appear to be 'reasonable and equitable'.

 

Certainly would not appear to be 'reasonable and equitable'.

There was a forum held my Oliver Coppard yesterday which SaveDSA appears to have attended and asked the question of the talks of a sale. It appears Oliver Coppard has said the only solution is a CPO, this has been reiterated by Rod Jones numerous times in the last month or so. Mark Chadwick adamant talks are still ongoing purely due to the fact he hasn’t been told otherwise…

So CPO does appear to be the next and only step. And like you say, doesn’t appear to be coming from a reasonable and equitable position. So unless their legal team have some compelling information currently being withheld from the public I cannot see it getting very far.

Mark Chadwick has posted another update, this time rallying around for support as the page needs more people from further afield to ‘like’ it and follow. He thinks that interest is waning and that just will not do, the airport ‘contributes significantly to the regional economy and serves people across the North, not just Doncaster’.

I think judging by the number of navel gazing posts recently, that he is himself becoming a bit disillusioned with the whole thing.

 

Went to Doncaster on Tuesday on a Northern Railway "£10 Day Ranger". I was amazed to see the signage for the airport still visible. I would have thought they would have been taken down or at least taped over.

 

Went to Doncaster on Tuesday on a Northern Railway "£10 Day Ranger". I was amazed to see the signage for the airport still visible. I would have thought they would have been taken down or at least taped over.

Probably still in denial!

 

Since when did it get submerged in Egypt? (Still in de Nile)

 

Apparently a helicopter thought to be carrying Robert Whittaker has been in to DSA this afternoon. I wonder why this may be.. Could they have agreed a sale? Could they be in talks about other development opportunities? Seems a strange thing to do unless he was meeting someone there.

 

Bringing specialist screwdriver to take down the frontage signs.

Just looking at the track of helicopter.
Its had a fly around Blackpool Fleetwood area a few times about 1330hrs, land DSA 1429-36hrs, Gamston 1440hrs, land DSA 1554-1607hrs, then back to Isle of Man.
Reckon Gamston was fuel stop/ pilot break.

So an hour meeting/ look about at Doncaster?

 

Could of been meeting Mark Chadwick

 

Bringing specialist screwdriver to take down the frontage signs.

Just looking at the track of helicopter.
Its had a fly around Blackpool Fleetwood area a few times about 1330hrs, land DSA 1429-36hrs, Gamston 1440hrs, land DSA 1554-1607hrs, then back to Isle of Man.
Reckon Gamston was fuel stop/ pilot break.

So an hour meeting/ look about at Doncaster?

They’ve either been to meet this enigmatic investor from UAE, or someone else interested in developing the site. Either way, I’m sure all will be revealed in time.

 

They’ve either been to meet this enigmatic investor from UAE, or someone else interested in developing the site. Either way, I’m sure all will be revealed in time.

Seems rather a short stay for a meeting of such importance?

 

Seems rather a short stay for a meeting of such importance?
As good as confirmed on PPrune by ‘DSAmole’ that it was a brief meeting between John Whittaker and a reclamation company and also a lawyer.

Seems rather a short stay for a meeting of such importance?

As good as confirmed on PPrune by ‘DSAmole’ that it was a brief meeting between John Whittaker and a reclamation company and also a lawyer

 

Seems rather a short stay for a meeting of such importance?
As good as confirmed on PPrune by ‘DSAmole’ that it was a brief meeting between John Whittaker and a reclamation company and also a lawyer.


As good as confirmed on PPrune by ‘DSAmole’ that it was a brief meeting between John Whittaker and a reclamation company and also a lawyer

So what do Reclamation Companies do? Re-open airports?

 

So what do Reclamation Companies do? Re-open airports?

From what I gather in this context they collect properties owed. Someone elsewhere suggested for reclamation read demolition. The fact he was meeting with a lawyer too would suggest perhaps that the winding up of DSA Ltd will mean Peel Holdings will reclaim the leasehold. Of course it could be something else entirely but I would suspect that is the most likely reason for the visit.

 

From what I gather in this context they collect properties owed. Someone elsewhere suggested for reclamation read demolition. The fact he was meeting with a lawyer too would suggest perhaps that the winding up of DSA Ltd will mean Peel Holdings will reclaim the leasehold. Of course it could be something else entirely but I would suspect that is the most likely reason for the visit.

Thanks. Not something Mark Chadwick is going to want to hear!

 

According to the Yorkshire Post, Peel have issued a statement saying there are no commercial negotiations with any interested buyers ongoing.

Quoting the Peel spokesperson:
“The Peel Group remains open to all discussions with potential investors and where introductions to interested parties have been made, Peel has engaged in an open and constructive fashion. There are currently no live discussions with potential commercial investors and Peel is not in receipt of any offers for the airport operating company or the airport site. The only interested party to date which put forward a proposal to acquire the airport operating company, withdrew from discussions in November 2022 after The Peel Group accepted an offer in principle subject to proof of identity and funds."

So it would appear talks stalled some time ago with the UAE investors, but has confirmed Peel did accept an offer in principle which ties in with the reliable Pprune posters claim at the time.

I do not follow them, but I would imagine for the Save DSA group this will a disappointing statement and contradicts much of Mark Chadwick's mantra for the last few weeks insisting talks were ongoing. It is difficult to see what the Save DSA group brings to the table, it has no influence of the outcome. I guess its only role now is to try to hold Jones to account to execute the CPO process.

It confirms the long held view by many of us here that the CPO is the last game in town and has been for some time. Now this statement has come into the press it will be interesting how the council respond to this, perhaps we will understand what their timeline is for applying to the courts, assuming it gets that far, or will they try to talk it down until they can quietly drop the subject.

 

Can someone please remind me of the statement involving nails and coffins!

 

According to the Yorkshire Post, Peel have issued a statement saying there are no commercial negotiations with any interested buyers ongoing.

Quoting the Peel spokesperson:
“The Peel Group remains open to all discussions with potential investors and where introductions to interested parties have been made, Peel has engaged in an open and constructive fashion. There are currently no live discussions with potential commercial investors and Peel is not in receipt of any offers for the airport operating company or the airport site. The only interested party to date which put forward a proposal to acquire the airport operating company, withdrew from discussions in November 2022 after The Peel Group accepted an offer in principle subject to proof of identity and funds."

So it would appear talks stalled some time ago with the UAE investors, but has confirmed Peel did accept an offer in principle which ties in with the reliable Pprune posters claim at the time.

I do not follow them, but I would imagine for the Save DSA group this will a disappointing statement and contradicts much of Mark Chadwick's mantra for the last few weeks insisting talks were ongoing. It is difficult to see what the Save DSA group brings to the table, it has no influence of the outcome. I guess its only role now is to try to hold Jones to account to execute the CPO process.

It confirms the long held view by many of us here that the CPO is the last game in town and has been for some time. Now this statement has come into the press it will be interesting how the council respond to this, perhaps we will understand what their timeline is for applying to the courts, assuming it gets that far, or will they try to talk it down until they can quietly drop the subject.

So in conclusion, nobody wants to buy it. Mark Chadwick has been telling all his followers that talks are ongoing purely because he hasn’t been told otherwise, and it seems he controls what is posted on his SaveDSA page. Council have been hinting for months that a CPO is the only option to save the airport, would expect an announcement to say they have started it by the end of the week.

 

Is it now time for everyone to accept the inevitable that DSA does not have a future?