Thousands of people in rural Cornwall are to get access to fast broadband following a government investment of £36 million to Wildanet to roll out new connections.
The move is part of the government’s ‘Project Gigabet’, which is funded by £5 billion and aims to connect 19,250 rural homes and businesses.
Work is set to start today (Thursday, January 19) to survey rural homes and businesses from Newquay and Fowey. Building work for the new connections is set to begin as early as this summer, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said.
Digital infrastructure minister, Julia Lopez, said: “From Tintagel to Tredavoe, we are investing millions of pounds to connect almost 20,000 homes and businesses across Cornwall to lightning-fast broadband.
“This will generate growth and opportunity for people in the region’s rural communities.
“The move is part of the government’s flagship £5 billion Project Gigabit programme to spread fast, reliable and fit-for-the-future broadband to rural and remote communities in the UK.”
Helen Wylde, Wildanet’s chief executive, said the news was extremely positive for remote communities in Cornwall and will bring “economic and social transformation”.
“The funding from the government will help to breathe new life into Cornwall’s rural communities and give people access to the opportunities that gigabit broadband provides,” she said.
“It will also send out a positive signal to remote communities across the country who, to date, do not have the broadband connectivity to benefit from the digital age that many of us now take for granted in our daily lives.”
Levelling up
The UK government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced funding for numerous rural communities and facilities on Tuesday (January 17).
The government’s Levelling Up initiative aims to create more opportunities for those living in poorly connected areas of the UK.
£5.6 million from the levelling up fund is set to support the development of Acorn Farm, a growing space in St. Columb’s Park in Co. Derry, Northern Ireland.
The aim of Acorn farm is to demonstrate how to grow food in a sustainable way to teach the people of Derry City and Strabane about food.
Sandra Duffy, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, said: “Acorn Farm is an exciting project that will see the regeneration of a disused site into an urban food growing space with a new gate lodge, enhanced car parking and wider environmental improvements.
“The focus of the farm is to develop a high-quality, urban food-growing hub, a green skills learning academy, a sustainable food event venue and an impressive visitor destination. I look forward to seeing this fantastic project grow.
Robert Shearman, of The Conservation Volunteers, said: “Acorn Farm will be an amazing facility, helping to educate the population of Derry City and Strabane District Council about growing food sustainably.
“However, it will also be a big attraction to visitors and tourists from across Northern Ireland and further afield.
“The Conservation Volunteers is proud to be a partner in the Acorn Farm project and supporting 1000 households to grow vegetables at home over the next five years.
“This work will have a big positive impact on mitigating climate change and many other benefits, including people’s health, skills, and happiness.”
A village shop in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, was awarded more than £200,000 from the Community Ownership Fund.
The government said the rural shop was chosen for funding because the “loss of this facility would have been devastating to community life, particularly for more elderly residents”.
The funding is helping the village community buy the freehold to the premises. This will prevent the property being sold for redevelopment.
The department said the shop is a crucial part of village life offering local people a café and place to socialise, banking facilities and postal services.
