Defra funds Tove Valley super-fast broadband scheme

Super-fast broadband will be rolled out to up to 450 homes and businesses in Northamptonshire's Tove Valley thanks to a six-figure grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The £117,000 funding - which will provide around 50 per cent of the project's overall costs - is set to bring speeds of up to 30Mbps to local properties as part of the £20 million Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF).

Defra's support of the Tove Valley scheme comes as the government department launches the final round of the RCBF, a project that seeks to bring faster broadband to some of the country's most isolated locations.

Local organisation the Abthorpe Broadband Association will use the cash to upgrade its existing wireless infrastructure in the area with fibre optic technology and link the villages of Abthorpe, Weedon Lois, Wappenham, Slapton and Weston.

Rural Affairs Minister Richard Benyon said: "This is great news for people and businesses in Tove Valley and will help the individual businesses get better connected as well as benefiting the local economy."