CBC - Fibre Network for Manor Royal Business District - AWARD

Located to the South-East of London, halfway between the capital and Brighton and adjacent to Gatwick airport, Crawley is home to more than 118 000 residents . The town was disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic due to its close associations with the aviation industry, both as a direct employer and through the local supply chain. Improving broadband connectivity across the region has been identified as a key driver of economic growth and prosperity. As part of its economic recovery, Crawley Borough Council (CBC) has secured funding via the UK Government's Towns Fund initiative, with up to GBP1.5 million of this funding allocated for capital 'digital' projects. Any digital investment should focus on enabling economic improvements and encourage further investment in the Manor Royal business park and surrounding business districts. The proposed project by Crawley Borough Council supports the above objectives, facilitating improved connectivity via the provision of gigabit-capable networks across the region. The wider economic benefits resulting from this, including the security of sufficient infrastructure capacity in the long term, could in turn drive further investment in Manor Royal and surrounding areas, contributing towards Crawley's economic recovery.