Broadband at Queensgate

I have been involved in a series of meetings and discussions concerning this issue since my election.

I am now in a position to update you as follows.

With respect to Queensgate (the estate opposite Lidl on Yarm Road), SBC have advised they are prepared on this occasion to accept pavements with repairs, as opposed to pristine ones, when adoption of the estate occurs, if it means residents can access decent broadband. That is important in convincing Bellway to let cabling occur, otherwise there may have been financial costs in terms of making good afterwards, which they perhaps wouldn't accept.

Virgin have advised that if they can get on to the estate as part of the current phase two build and start cabling there, they will then consider the commercial viability of moving over to cable phase one too (if permitted).

The hold up has been persuading Bellway Yorkshire to let them on site.

There is now a meeting planned for next week between Bellway and Virgin to discuss phase two access. I have given Virgin a statement to share with Bellway at that meeting, stressing how important this access is to me, and to Dr Paul, on behalf of residents.

I have also arranged a meeting with SBC officers to discuss how we might change local Planning law so that in future when a developer submits a planning application for a new estate in the borough, access to cabling/broadband becomes a condition of accepting the application. I don't think anyone wants to go through this every time.

Finally I would encourage residents in Queensgate to register their interest with Virgin so as to encourage them to make that shift over to phase one in due course, as and when it becomes possible.