Plans to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport are set to take off in the next year, with the airport slated to reopen from Spring next year.
The airport had closed in 2022 after it’s owner, Peel, said it was “no longer financially viable.”
Rachel Reeves announced her support for the airport reopening, backed by City of Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard. BBC News recently found that over £100m of public money is required since local authorities didn’t secure the private funding needed for the airport.
According to the City of Doncaster Council, Doncaster Mayor, Ros Jones, confirmed there is an international operator ready to run the airport.
With the looming climate crisis, there are mixed views. We asked Simon Bowens, Friends of the Earth Yorkshire Campaign Organiser, about this.
He said: “The evidence to reopen and expand airports is crystal clear, we cannot afford to allow massive airport growth.
“To do so would be to play an enormous gamble on the future of young people, including Sheffield students faced with a mounting climate catastrophe. The idea that we can develop technologies enabling low or zero carbon flights is currently ‘pie in the sky’”.
Friends of the Earth Limited is a not-for-profit company and charity. They are committed to a safer climate and sustainable world which is in harmony with nature.
Simon Bowens said: “if Mayor Oliver Coppard and Rachel Reeves really want to boost the economy and create jobs for Sheffield students, they would be better off investing £100m in building renewable energy, housing retrofit and sustainable transport”.
We asked Daisy Watson, SU President, what the SU thinks. She said: “It will create jobs and boost short-term economic activity, however, this comes at a significant environmental cost.
“We are deeply concerned about the long-term impact of increasing air travel industries on carbon emissions”.
She added that growth should be sustainable rather than short-sighted with a focus on jobs in green energy and sustainable transport. She urged decision-makers to:
“Prioritise investment in industries offering long-term employment opportunities without compromising our planet’s future”.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport isn’t the only plan for aviation, with the government announcing support for Heathrow’s third runway, as well as expanding Luton and Gatwick.
