£57m loan to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport approved after all after crunch meeting
However Reform UK councillors have imposed new terms - amid worries about the financial impact of the project
Last updated 11th May 2026
A decision to take out a £57m loan to fund the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport will proceed after all - after a crunch meeting today.
Reform UK councillors, who hold a majority on Doncaster Council but don't control the authority, looked poised to reverse a decision they first approved in November to approve the cash.
They had raised concerns about the long term financial implications of reopening the travel hub, after previously unknown parts of the airport's lease agreement were made public earlier this year.
Senior Labour figures, including Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones and South Yorkshire Mayor OIiver Coppard, had warned a decision to cancel the loan could threaten the entire project - and the hundreds of jobs it will create.
However the decision to grant the £57m loan has now been re-affirmed, with the addition of a number of Reform UK-led amendments around transparency.
Reform UK group leader Craig Ward said: "The fact these safeguards had to be forced through by Reform shows this Labour administration has not acted in the best interests of the people of Doncaster.
"Proper financial accountability, transparency, and scrutiny should have been there from the very beginning when dealing with hundreds of millions of pounds of public money.
"Reform represents all the people of Doncaster — not just selected groups or political interests, but the whole borough.
"We believe protecting the public purse is one of the most serious responsibilities entrusted to councillors, and we will continue to closely scrutinise where every penny is being spent."
A City of Doncaster Council spokesperson said: “The decision taken at today’s Extraordinary Full Council meeting means that the airport programme can recommence. In addition, discussions with the landowner will now be restarted and reported accordingly."
"We remain committed to reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport and delivering the jobs and growth it will bring to the region.
"Work will continue at pace, in partnership with SYMCA and other stakeholders, subject to ongoing risk management and the progression of funding agreements.”