Archive for category: News

The below is reported by Wiltshire Council:

Building Digital UK (BDUK) has appointed telecoms provider Openreach to build next generation gigabit capable infrastructure in Central and North Wiltshire. This follows the award of a contract to Wessex Internet covering South Wiltshire last year.

The Openreach contract will target places that are too expensive for providers to reach in their commercial build, and which would otherwise be left behind without access to next generation broadband connectivity.

Wiltshire Council has welcomed this appointment and looks forward to developing a working relationship with Openreach and supporting them to achieve a successful rollout of this scheme.

Openreach anticipate connecting 9,000 premises over the next five years. This means residents and businesses will have access to lightning-fast gigabit capable broadband to help grow the local economy, accelerate innovation and improve people’s lives.

Detailed delivery plans are being developed so we can measure the pace of delivery against Openreach’s targets. This announcement moves the project into the early enablement phases, and further briefings will be provided as more information becomes available.

Further connectivity has been widely anticipated by residents, businesses and people in North Wiltshire who were not otherwise connected through the Project Superfast programme, which ended in 2022. Wiltshire Council is hopeful for further flexibility through the BDUK Gigabit Voucher Scheme (GBVS).

This scheme can provide vouchers worth up to £4,500 for homes and businesses in the hardest to reach rural areas to support the cost of installing new gigabit capable connections to their doorstep when part of a group. Further briefings will detail when/if BDUK release vouchers for areas needing additional support to achieve connectivity. Currently the voucher scheme is paused in Wiltshire and many other parts of the UK, although this can change.

Communities can now have their say on the Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan Document, as the consultation begins today (Tuesday 20 August) until 5pm on Friday 4 October.

To enable people to find out more about the Development Plan Document and ask questions, Wiltshire Council are holding five engagement events at different locations around the county in September where you can drop-in to find out more, and one online engagement event.

People can read the Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan Document and supporting consultation documents on the website and at the main council offices at County Hall, Trowbridge, Monkton Park, Chippenham, and Bourne Hill, Salisbury. The plan will also be available in many Wiltshire Council libraries.

Anyone can share their views through our online portal, and anyone without internet access can visit a library to use the computers, or contact the Council to get a written copy of the representation form and find out how to view the documents.

Information about what types of issues people can comment on will be available on the Wiltshire Council website.

The list of engagement events is as follows. People can just turn up at any time during the in-person events, which are drop-in sessions – there is no need to book. However, anyone who wishes to attend the online event must sign up beforehand. Anyone with an interest in the Plan can attend any of the in-person events – they do not need to choose the one nearest to them.

More information is available at Have your say (Regulation 19 consultation) – Wiltshire Council.

Work is progressing on developing the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy and the mapping exercise to identify areas for nature recovery across the county is almost complete.  An online mapping feedback survey will be launched on 22nd July, and two webinars will take place, one for the public and one specifically for farmers and landowners. These webinars will give the opportunity to learn more about the LNRS map, and how you can give your feedback on the map formally via our survey, as well as to offer an opportunity for general questions and answers.