Lancashire Rural Broadband EU Funding

Lancashire County Council to bid for rural broadband Euro-cash before Brexit.

18:13 13 May 2018

Lancashire County Council prepares to make a £3millon bid from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to bring superfast broadband services to up to 17,000 rural properties. The county council will invest £2million of its own money to maximise coverage the final Stage Three of the programme.

 

In a report, officers of the council said: "Stage One of the programme delivered superfast speeds to 136,000 premises.

 

"Stage Two will provide superfast speeds to another 11,283 properties by the end of 2018.

 

"According to Thinkbroadband.com United Kingdom superfast coverage is 97 per cent of the county council area.

 

"Once stage 2 is complete approximately 17,000 properties will still be without superfast broadband access.

 

"These properties fall outside any commercial plans."

 

The report adds: In preparation for the procurement process and in order to comply with state aid rules the county council will carry out an open market review to confirm the position of those areas currently designated as not being part of any commercial infrastructure plans."