Superfast broadband plans for North Yorkshire could include funding by the government’s £15m Rural Growth Networks project.
The initiative, announced recently by Rural Affairs Minister Richard Benyon, is intended to boost the local economy in remote and isolated communities and The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) feel the scheme will help rural areas overcome problems such as the lack of superfast broadband provision and erratic mobile phone coverage.
The government will announce six successful bidders and applications, which will be considered on a competitive basis, being invited until January 31st 2012.
A relatively small number of “enterprise hubs” at underused business parks, brownfield sites and locations with planning permission for commercial or industrial developments will be formed, according to Defra. At each of these hubs, 10 to 20 small or micro enterprises are expected to be established.