Decision details

See attached ODR

To approve the making of an Article 4 Direction (“A4D”) to cancel the Article 4 Direction at Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) which came into effect in June 2023, and was confirmed in September 2023. The current A4D removes permitted development rights for the demolition of buildings within the operational area of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and shown on the map in Appendix 1. The effect of the current DSA A4D is that any proposal to demolish a building within the specified boundary requires a planning application to be submitted and the proposal to be assessed through the full planning process.

The current DSA A4D was implemented to protect the buildings at DSA from demolition and protect airport functionality whilst the future of the airport remained uncertain. It was deemed that the development (the potential demolition of buildings) was, at the time, prejudicial to the proper planning of the area.

However, Mayor Ros Jones announced on 21 March 2024 that a 125-year lease had been agreed for the City of Doncaster Council to take over the airport, which will be the first stage in the process to re-open the airport. Given this news, it is deemed that there is no longer a risk
that buildings at the airport may be under threat of demolition, and furthermore, that in taking on the lease of the airport, the Council or associated operators may wish to undertake certain works allowed under permitted development rights to prepare the airport for re-opening. To facilitate this aim in an expedient manner, it is necessary to remove the planning controls that were put in place to preserve the airport functionality, which has now been secured via the signing of the lease.

1. Do not remove the Article 4 Direction: The Article 4 Direction will remain in place and any proposal to demolish a building at the airport will require planning permission. Although permission could still be granted for demolition, this creates an additional step which has
knock on impacts in both time and cost, which is not considered necessary now the lease has been agreed for the airport.