WORK is underway on a £15.1 million investment providing high-speed broadband to public sector sites in North Yorkshire.

The first premises to benefit from the installation of the fibre optic broadband infrastructure are in Selby and Easingwold, where work is under way, with Malton and Pickering to follow later this month.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said: “Efficient digital connectivity is important in creating and maintaining successful local economies and communities.

“This further improvement to our digital infrastructure will help to deliver national strategies such as the NHS long-term plan and the Department for Education’s programme to boost technology in our schools.”

The project is the result of a successful bid by North Yorkshire County Council and its wholly-owned high-speed connectivity provider, NYnet, supported by the county’s seven district councils and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Local Full Fibre Networks Challenge Fund.

Scott Walters, Chief Executive of NYnet, said: “We are very excited to be entering the delivery phase of our new full fibre network, which will improve speeds and user experience for many public sector bodies including GP surgeries, hospitals and libraries.”

The contract to undertake the work was awarded to specialist multi-discipline contractor, SCD Group. Chris Durkan, SCD Group chairman, said: “We are delighted to work alongside North Yorkshire County Council and NYnet to bring first-class connectivity to North Yorkshire.

“The roll-out of full fibre across the area will provide major employment opportunities over the coming years and the build will be driven by a local workforce that is proud to play a role in such a transformational project.”

The project will provide the high-speed broadband through fibre direct to the premises to 370 buildings in the education and health sectors across the county within the next 18 months.

Other areas where the infrastructure is to be installed include Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Scarborough, Thirsk, Tadcaster and Pickering.