£85,000 investment from developers brings superfast broadband to King's Reach

Residents of Biggleswade’s new King’s Reach community will soon benefit from significantly enhanced broadband services – after developers Taylor Wimpey and Martin Grant Homes agreed to fund a major network upgrade.

Following discussions with Central Bedfordshire Council and Openreach, the two housebuilders are providing more than £85,000 in ‘gap funding’ to deliver service improvements to all existing and future homes at King’s Reach.

Works to bring superfast fibre broadband to the development, off Saxon Drive, are expected to be completed by BT and Openreach before the end of November 2014.

Some residents will then begin receiving their enhanced broadband signal within eight days of completion of the works and the remainder within four weeks – bringing an end to issues with limited speeds previously experienced at King’s Reach. There will be no loss of service during the course of the works.

Alun Isaac, Project Manager for the King’s Reach Consortium, says: “Many of our residents at King’s Reach have unfortunately experienced problems with broadband speeds and we have been keen to work with Central Bedfordshire Council and Openreach to find a solution to this issue as quickly as possible.

“I am delighted to confirm that Taylor Wimpey and Martin Grant Homes are providing more than £85,000 for improvements to the infrastructure at King’s Reach in order to significantly enhance broadband services for new and existing residents.

“Work on these improvements is due to begin in August with a view to delivering superfast broadband access to all homes at the development by the end of the year.”

Cllr Richard Wenham, Deputy Executive Member for Corporate Resources at Central Bedfordshire Council, says: "The agreement to deliver superfast broadband services to King’s Reach is great news for existing and new residents. This was a key concern voiced by local residents, and the Council has worked intensively with the development consortium, BT and local representatives including Alistair Burt MP, to facilitate the rollout of new infrastructure. We look forward to the delivery of this by November 14.

“Rolling out superfast broadband is a priority for the Council, recognising the benefits this has for our residents and businesses, and we are investing to maximise the coverage across the whole of Central Bedfordshire.”

King’s Reach is a new sustainable community on the eastern edge of Biggleswade where consortium developers Taylor Wimpey and Martin Grant Homes are building a range of high-quality homes and public facilities.

Over time, the development will benefit from a new lower school, a community centre and local shops, while a new relief road is being constructed to ease the flow of traffic in and around the town.

King’s Reach will also deliver enhancements to existing local footpaths and cycleways, and the new community is located just a mile from Biggleswade railway station for services to King’s Cross in as little as 35 minutes, and only half a mile from the A1 for links to London and the North.

Further information about the new homes at King’s Reach is available by visiting taylorwimpey.co.uk or martingranthomes.co.uk.