'South Lakeland and Eden is rural broadband hub for the UK' says MP

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has heralded a major government investment in Cumbrian broadband as another step forward in his campaign to make the South Lakes and Eden the broadband hub of the UK.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Owen Paterson joined Tim in Cumbria today to highlight one of the first two communities to have a pre-contract agreement in place for funding of superfast fibre-optic broadband.

A total of 525 homes and businesses in Garsdale and Dentdale will be connected following the Government's £157,500 investment in the FibreGarden community-led project. This is part of the Government's £20 million Rural Community Broadband Fund.

The other community project to have been offered a pre-contact agreement is Fell End, in Ravenstonedale.

Tim added: "Residents of Garsdale, Dent and Ravenstonedale have been given a critical boost and it will give them a chance to succeed in a way that BT have so far failed. FibreGarden offer a blueprint for communities all over Cumbria to follow. Cumbria County Council should now use the hard won £24 million worth of funding on projects that will deliver real, superfast broadband for Cumbria. Local residents need and deserve this."