Midlands to house 350 new gigahubs

Nottinghamshire County Council will lead a Midlands-wide investment to turn 350 public buildings into ‘gigahubs’. Of these, 96 will be in Nottinghamshire. 

BDUK has awarded £6.8 million to the County Council, on behalf of the ten Midlands local authorities which have signed up to the project.  An additional £1.2 million comes from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said: "This will enable schools, libraries, GP surgeries and other vital public services to deliver more for their communities.

It also makes it more attractive for broadband firms to extend their networks to other homes and businesses across the county.”

A tendering process will start in April to find a contractor to deliver the project from June 2023. The full scheme is hoped to be live by Spring 2025. 

Councillor Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “This project will help support children’s learning in the classroom and help those who can’t afford or access high-speed broadband at home.

“For example, being able to pop into their local library to help with things like online searches for work and training will help boost local skills and the economy.     

The Midlands Engine originally brought the ten councils together to form a gigahubs partnership Sir John Peace, Chairman of the Midlands Engine said: “Through investing in our region's digital infrastructure, with a specific focus on improving rural connectivity and eliminating 'notspots', this initiative will play a crucial part in levelling up our region and driving inclusive economic growth.”

The local authorities which have agreed to be part of this regional project include Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Telford and Wrekin and Warwickshire.