Policy INF2: Digital Infrastructure
Policy INF2: Digital Infrastructure
- All major housing developments and all employment developments must provide ‘Fibre to the Premises’ (FTTP) technology. This is also encouraged for smaller schemes, where practical. At the very least, non-Next Generation Access (NGA) technologies that can provide speeds of more than 24Mbps should be delivered.
- Developers are required to work with recognised service providers supporting broadband, fibre optic and telecommunications networks, to design appropriate infrastructure, wherever practicable, for the development.
- Slower internet speeds can discourage home working and can also isolate communities. The GNLP notes that there is variable access to high-speed broadband and mobile phone connectivity can be poor across Norfolk. The Better Broadband for Norfolk programme is currently seeking to help address this issue and has helped improve superfast broadband coverage to over 96%. The programme is now focusing on gigabit capable broadband (delivering at speeds of at least 1000 megabits per second, or 1 gigabit per second) and is being supported by the Government’s Project Gigabit programme, with anticipated coverage of 85% by 2025 and up to 100% in 2030.
- Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) is one of the technologies used to deliver gigabit-capable broadband, a cable directly from the telephone exchange into your home or business. The policy therefore seeks to ensure that any new homes, as part of major housing developments, and new employment developments makes provision for this technology. In terms of actual connections and intended providers, applicants should engage with network providers from the outset to ensure the needs of the service, as well as appropriate ducting, can be introduced alongside other on-site infrastructure works as part of the new development to ensure the most efficient and viable approach is taken to securing gigabit capable broadband.