Superfast broadband is now a reality for even more Derbyshire homes and businesses as a new section of fibre optic cable has now been installed.
BT Openreach engineers have been working to bring fibre optic broadband to Derbyshire and have installed 7km of cable between Steeple Grange and Longcliffe in the Derbyshire Dales, meaning that homes and businesses in surrounding areas can now gain access to download speeds of up to 80 megabits per second (Mbps).
This is part of the wider Digital Derbyshire scheme, which is a partnership between Derbyshire County Council and BT and is being part-funded by D2N2 – the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. D2N2 is a partnership of businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary organisations. It works to grow its areas economy, with the aim of creating 55,000 new jobs in ten years (2013-2023).
As part of this mission, D2N2 has been awarded Local Growth Funding (LGF) from Government and is using this for projects across its area which will help to create jobs and attract investors. D2N2 is giving £2.19million to the Digital Derbyshire scheme, which has already helped over 140,000 homes and businesses to access superfast broadband.
A total of £4.8million is being given by the LEP to improve broadband across its area. As well as the Digital Derbyshire scheme mentioned above, D2N2 is also giving £2.63million to the Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire programme (BBfN), along with £2.5m from the European Regional Development Fund, £5m from Derbyshire County Council, £9.7m from the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK funds and £15.2m from BT. It is hoped that by 2018, the entire D2N2 area will have 98% superfast broadband coverage to help businesses, particularly Creative and Digital – one of D2N2’s eight key sectors - and homes.
David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Widening access to faster, fibre optic-based broadband is a core priority for D2N2.
“Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire and Digital Derbyshire represent an opportunity to boost economic growth and create jobs; for all businesses but we see the programmes as of particular benefit to the creative and digital industries, which we have identified as a key economic sector in our area.”
Councillor Dean Collins, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure at Derbyshire County Council, added:
“The internet plays such a big role in our daily lives, whether it’s at work or at home. That’s why we’re aiming to provide 95% of premises in Derbyshire with access to fibre broadband by the end of the year − including in rural areas.”
To find out more about Digital Derbyshire, click here
To find out more about D2N2’s work with creative and digital businesses, click here
To find out more about other projects D2N2 is funding with its LGF allocation, click here
Media wanting more information on the above should contact Sam Burbage, D2N2 Social Media and Marketing Officer at the D2N2 LEP, on 01159 578254, or by email sam.burbage@d2n2lep.org
