Low carbon economy and high speed digital get £17m boost

Ambitions for a more digitally connected and ‘greener’ East Midlands’ economy are to receive a boost in 2017, thanks to £17m of investment via the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

D2N2 has opened up bids for funding for two major programmes; one to extend the roll-out of faster broadband technology across its area, and the other to promote more energy efficient business operations and grow the low carbon economy.

Some £6.5m is available for projects designed to enhance access to, and the use and quality of, information and communications technology (ICT) across the D2N2 LEP area.

Meanwhile, £8.5m is available for projects which support the region’s attempts to shift to a ‘low carbon’ economy.

Applications must be for projects worth a total of £1m, with bidders prepared to provide up to 50% matched funding (£500,000).

In both cases, D2N2 will advise Government on which of the projects applying for funding have the best fit with the LEP’s own Strategic Economic Plan. Those project bidders will be asked to make a fuller application, giving more details of their proposed project, which will then be assessed and decided on by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Projects funded by both of the above programmes would need to be completed within three years of their start (approximately mid-2020).

David Ralph, chief executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Better digital connectivity, improved energy use and ‘low carbon’ growth opportunities are important business drivers, but they can prove expensive considerations for smaller enterprises.

“D2N2 has been supporting projects which help companies on both fronts for some time, with investment to help SMEs access low carbon technologies and in widening broadband access across the two counties we cover. These two new major programmes will enable us to do even more to help businesses in our area and we are keen to see some ambitious projects coming forward.”