ASELA LFFN – Phase 3

​The LFFN ASELA project received £2,500,000 GBF as part of the original allocation of GBF funding, as part of Phase 2 of the project which built on the original funding allocation by the Department of Culture Media and Sport. This Phase 3 allocation of GBF funding will allow the project to extend further.

The LFFN project is about driving full fibre delivery across ASELA. The additional rollout will aid this goal, by leveraging the existing project to ensure the most cost effective and timely delivery of benefits from this additional funding. The modernised digital infrastructure will be a key enabler:

• to kick start the economy, by allowing access to low cost high speed broadband;
• to aid job retention by reducing business costs through flexible and remote working;
• to aid business start-ups with access to full fibre broadband across South Essex;
• to support the green agenda by reducing the need for travel by enabling a growth in audio/video conferencing which has been a proven business tool during the COVID-19 pandemic;
• to support rural communities and businesses;
• to ensure that Care Homes across ASELA have access to fibre connectivity with a consequent benefit to residents and staff;
• to ensure that GP Surgeries have access to fibre connectivity and help them respond to the current and future changes to healthcare within communities;
• to create a platform for innovation and look at ways in which community facilities such as village halls can play a role in the support of home working and rural businesses.

Award of GBF funding

A new GBF prioritised pipeline was established to support projects experiencing cost increases due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit or due to high inflation levels, or seeking to extend the original project to support further phases of an existing project was agreed by the Strategic Board in October 2022.

The project was included on the new GBF project pipeline and the award of £500,000 was approved by the Accountability Board in November 2022. At the Accountability Board meeting in January 2023 it was agreed that the GBF allocation would be released to Southend-on-Sea City Council, rather than Thurrock Council as originally intended.

Furthermore, at the 13 April 2023 Accountability Board meeting it was agreed that GBF can be retained against the project until 30 June 2023.

£85m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock

The Getting Building Fund focuses on projects that can progress quickly and that will stimulate and better integrate economies in some of the most economically impacted and COVID-affected parts of the South East.

£85m of Getting Building Fund investment has been secured, enabling delivery of 45 projects across East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock.

Find out more here