Bassetlaw Council executive's concern over 'key risk' with Doncaster Sheffield Airport reopening

Michael Wildman, the executive director for corporate resources and statutory Section 151 officerat Bassetlaw, revealed in a public LinkedIn comment that he views the ‘financial exposure’ to Doncaster Council is a ‘key risk’.

Mr Wildman said the airport is feasible ‘in principle’, thanks to the ‘site, infrastructure and regional backing’.

He added: “However, delivering a viable airport operation after closure is materially more complex than maintaining an existing one.

“Significant council borrowing used to bridge early stage costs depends on future demand materialising as projected.

"The project remains highly sensitive to passenger numbers and revenue assumptions… which gives grounds for uncertainty especially when benchmarked against historic performance in its early operation.”

Mr Wildman said the passenger and revenue projections were based on ‘scenario modelling’ rather than ‘due diligence’ tied to things like secured airline agreements.

In March 2026, Doncaster Council slashed its passenger projections from 2.5m per year after a decade of operation, to 1.1m.

Before it closed in 2022, DSA often did less than one million passengers in each year of its operation.

However, at its peak in 2019, it is reported that over 1.3m passengers traveled through the airport.

A spokesperson for Bassetlaw Council said: “Mr Wildman’s social media post was made in a personal capacity as a local taxpayer living within the City of Doncaster Council area.

“Bassetlaw Council’s position remains that Doncaster Sheffield Airport is a valuable regional asset that should be protected for our communities.”

Doncaster Council did not respond to request for comment from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The reopening of DSA is at a critical point as a £57m loan supporting the reopening could be rescinded on May 11, 2026.

Reform UK has publicly stated its intention to reverse its approval for the loan, which was supported by Doncaster Council, which Reform UK has a majority on, in November 2025 – a move that could increase the risk of bankruptcy for the authority.

The party has stated the leaking of the agreed lease between Doncaster Council and Peel in January 2026 revealed details that councillors were not aware of before approving the loan two months earlier.

It included break clauses ‘in favour of the landowner’ relating to passenger and freight targets from 2031 onwards and planning permission for two housing estates near to the airport site.

Additionally, it was agreed in the lease that Peel would receive 20 per cent of ‘turnover rent’, including money from local and national Government grants.

This agreement has proven a sticking point in the renegotiations of the lease, council papers revealed on May 1, which is required in order for the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to release £160m in funding for the reopening.