The planned reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) has been thrown into doubt after Reform UK in Doncaster called for an extraordinary council meeting to reverse a £57 million borrowing decision that underpins the relaunch – and Bassetlaw MP Jo White has hit back, accusing them of putting regional jobs and growth at risk.

The airport, once known as Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, closed in November 2022 after its owner Peel Group withdrew commercial operations – a decision that has left the region without a local airport for more than three years and cost hundreds of jobs.

First flights were expected to take off again from Spring 2026 under new ownership, following a £57m borrowing commitment approved by the City of Doncaster Council in November 2025 to support the reopening.

What's changed

In April 2026, Reform UK councillors in Doncaster – who had previously stated they were “fully committed to seeing Doncaster Sheffield Airport reopen” – told a council meeting they no longer support the £57m borrowing decision and have called for an extraordinary meeting to reverse it.

If the funding is pulled, the reopening timetable is likely to collapse. Jo White, the Labour MP for Bassetlaw, shared the news with her constituents on Tuesday evening.

'Threatening to kill the reopening'

“Reform UK in Doncaster are threatening to kill the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.”

— Jo White MP, Member of Parliament for Bassetlaw

White says the campaign to reopen DSA has attracted significant backing in Bassetlaw, with over 2,000 Bassetlaw residents signing up in support of the reopening. When she was elected as the MP for Bassetlaw in 2024, getting Doncaster Airport reopened was one of her declared top priorities.

After the first aircraft returned to DSA earlier this year, White described it as “a huge day that defines the future for Doncaster Airport”.

The White letter to Reform UK leadership has been followed by what she describes as ongoing work with the City of Doncaster Council, Save DSA campaigners, and regional business groups to keep the reopening on track.

Why Bassetlaw cares

Although DSA is located just over the county line in South Yorkshire – at Finningley, near Hatfield Woodhouse – it has long been the nearest airport for many residents of Worksop, Retford, Harworth and the wider Bassetlaw area. For much of its operating life, DSA was within a 20-30 minute drive for most Bassetlaw households.

Its closure in 2022 forced residents to use East Midlands, Leeds-Bradford or Manchester – all at least an hour further and more expensive to reach. Local business groups have long argued that a functioning DSA is essential for attracting investment and skilled workers to the Bassetlaw area.

The Save DSA campaign

The public campaign to reopen the airport has been led for three years by Mark Chadwick and the Save DSA Facebook group, which has tens of thousands of members across South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire. Chadwick and the campaign team have consistently argued that losing the airport would be “another example of regional decline” – a framing echoed by MPs including White.

What happens next

The extraordinary council meeting called by Reform UK is expected to be held in the coming weeks. If the majority on the City of Doncaster Council vote to keep the £57m loan in place, the reopening timeline should be able to proceed. If they vote to reverse it, the reopening is in serious doubt.

Worksop Wire will continue to follow the story and will update readers once the extraordinary meeting date is confirmed.