The Lot 12 procurement includes most of West Northamptonshire, the western side of North Northamptonshire (area not in Lot 5), Central Bedfordshire, Bedford and Milton Keynes. The Project Gigabit boundaries are shown in red on the When and Where map.
BDUK’s Summer Update in August 2022 reported that the procurement was expected to start between December 2022 and February 2023, with contract award likely between October and December 2023. Timescales may be subject to change. The public subsidy available for the Lot 12 procurement is between £84 million and £144 million.
Intervention Area
BDUK launched a Public Review on the Lot 12 intervention area in March 2022 which closed in late April 2022. This followed a consultation with telecoms providers on their existing and planned coverage, looking ahead to 2026. Data is now being processed and reviewed by BDUK to determine the eligible intervention area.
A Public Review Closure Notice will be published in due course to report on the outcome of the consultation and confirm the intervention area. This is where subsidy could be invested in network build to bring gigabit capable connectivity to premises in need. The intervention area will focus on those premises without viable commercial plans.
In May 2022 BDUK estimated that as many as 81,300 premises could be eligible in the Lot 12 geography, although this figure is expected to reduce following the Public Review closure which will take account of the latest commercial plans. It is not yet clear how many premises within Northamptonshire may be in scope.
View more information on the UK Gigabit Programme: Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes Public Review web page.
The scope of coverage to be delivered through Lot 12 (which premises will benefit from access to gigabit broadband connectivity) will not be known until contracts are awarded, and this could still change throughout the lifetime of the contract.
More information will be posted here when available.