Doncaster Sheffield - General Thread

[lysander]

I think the fact that DSA 's last accounts show the company having a negative nett worth of £77,109,123 with liabilities of £78,286,447 and with assets of just £1,694,004 is a serious worry. Add to this the knowledge that one major credit rating company has described the company as...."Appears to be financially valueless"... begs the question of the future for civil aviation in the Sheffield City Region.

I also welcome back "Muddycoffee"...but would ask him if he really thinks that 9 inward and 9 outward flights, at the height of the summer season from an airport , seemingly , dedicated to leisure flights ,is very satisfactory for all the money the taxpayer has invested in the scheme?

 

[Aviador]

I wasn't aware of those figures, that's amazing and I'm speechless. :shok: :whiteflag:

 

[muddycoffee]

Thanks for the welcome back guys, I never left, just have not had much to contribute for a while. There does seem to be much less news nowadays.

 

[muddycoffee]

Very interested to see that in 2013 a new business park is planned with a PUB in the middle of it.

http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/business/airport-business-park-plans-on-hold-1-5883082
Also interesting that Peel thinks there is a market for business units for companies who would benefit from being located close to an Airport.

Plans for a new airport business park in Auckley have been put on hold.

Councillors at a planning committee meeting on Tuesday afternoon agreed to defer making a decision on the new business park, on land east of Poplars Farm, Hurst Lane, while they await further information from applicant Peel Investments (North) Limited.

The plans submitted to Doncaster Council are seeking permission for a business park comprising a public house, light and general industrial, office floorspace, and storage and warehouse floorspace along with associated vehicle and pedestrian access.

The 10.9-hectare site is intended to be for businesses which benefit from being sited close to an airport.

A planning document states: “The business park seek to provide office accommodation for companies/organisations that benefit from being within close proximity to a regional airport, without being directly attached or associated with the airport itself.”

 

[lysander]

I think you will find that all of this was planned for in the original project. Indeed, one condition in the original planning consent was that ALL the proposed industrial/commercial developments should be aviation related. This condition was cancelled by DMBC some while ago.

With all the considerable backing the Airport site is receiving/has received from local council's , government quangos , Chambers of Commerce and parts of the business community, to say nothing of public grants.... one must hope that this faith is justified.

Personally, I have no doubt that the development, as a whole, will in the longer term be a success for Peel Holdings( and several of their 300plus companies)....Whether it is justified in terms of civil aviation, with its potential to act as a catalyst in the the economic regeneration of a fairly deprived City Region is altogether a different matter.

Only time will tell! 😉

 

[lysander]

DSA news

Another extension to the Business Parks is being planned. One effect, according to a spokesman is that it will make DSA more competitive with other airports.

I cannot see the logic....Perhaps someone might explain this to me?

 

[muddycoffee]

Re: DSA news

It appears to be the same excuse that they use for every move related to none airport related development in the vicinity.

 

[Seasider]

Re: DSA news

The business units will generate income for the airport, hence they can offer lower fees to airlines. One possible reason.

 

[lysander]

Re: DSA news

Yes, that seems pretty sensible except the airport operation seems to be quite separate from the already existing business park.. Certainly the accounts for the airport operation do not include income from rents...so far as I can see and asset value has been reduced very considerably. It stands at just a fraction of what the terminal building was said to have cost.

 

[muddycoffee]

Re: DSA news

The business units will generate income for the airport, hence they can offer lower fees to airlines. One possible reason.

Surely the word "Airport" should be scratched out and the word "Peel" inserted in its place.

.. Certainly the accounts for the airport operation do not include income from rents...so far as I can see and asset value has been reduced very considerably. It stands at just a fraction of what the terminal building was said to have cost.

If you wish to be cynical, it would be easy to argue that the airport was purely a "ruse" to open up all this land for commercial use. Especially with the previous behaviour of the Peel Group. However I still believe that the Airport will grow and that there will be lots of airport business in the nearby units, but we won't see this overnight.

 

[sprotyrover]

Re: DSA news

http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/new ... -1-5982099

What you have got to look at is the M18 Corridor and all of the land in its vicinity , of course this about development, Peel bought hundreds of acres in that area, massive inland Port development, new roads of the M18 junctions 3 and 4, Hatfield Power park,new road Linking Airport to FARRS etc. :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[lysander]

Re: DSA news

So, are you suggesting that all of the developments ( not all being undertaken by Peel) will generate sufficient new business to entice airlines to serve DSA? If so ,then one would assume they would be business related...something desperately needed by the City Region!

It would seem, according to another Forum, that an obstacle has been removed in starting the long awaited FARRRS scheme.

 

[pug]

Re: DSA news

Problem is sprotyrover, very little of the developments will be funded by Peel.

Still don't understand how this translates to more airlines.

 

[Aviador]

Re: DSA news

It sounds like the usual spin that comes from all airports.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Airport bosses seek views from business

Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield is launching a region-wide business survey, to obtain feedback on business travel trends in order to gauge future route opportunities for travellers.

The results of the business survey will play a major part in the vision, strategy and business plan for the airport for the next five years.

The airport is working in partnership with RDC Aviation, the regional Chambers of Commerce and the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver the survey.

Read more: http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/new ... -1-6303887[/textarea]

 

[lysander]

This is not the first survey on the topic of business flights...Indeed, at the time of the closure of Sheffield City...which had a few business flights...Peel was promising better services when DSA was operational. As with so much else this has not yet materialised.

 

[Aviador]

True but nobody can say they haven't tried.

 

[lysander]

They may be trying to find out, again, what the business community wants but, honestly, their attempts, thus far, at business oriented flights have not been successful by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Aviador]

Airlines they approach to ask about specific routes the airlines maybe coming back to ask for specific details to back up their request. If an airport can offer specific details about the number of businesses using such services from alternative airports it might help to entice airlines to Doncaster that would otherwise be sceptical of using the airport.

 

[lysander]

From existing surveys done by the CAA,as well as by local Chambers of Commerce, I should imagine the details of "leakage" out of the area to other airports , especially by business users, as well as the destinations, is already available...to those who would look! From personal business use I know that a conveniently timed service to AMS would be supported...but it is rumoured that DSA's management has let it be known they aren't looking for a provider....presumably on the grounds that despite the success of the SCA service, there is too much competition from the other airports who serve the sub-region.

Whatever, they need to be seen to be doing something, especially ,given the recent support and vote of confidence from the Local Enterprise Partnership.