WINKLEIGH Business Park is to get superfast broadband as part of a rollout by the Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) programme.

CDS has announced major plans to make superfast fibre broadband available to 20 more business parks across the two counties including at Winkleigh.

It means that a further 1,000 businesses will have access to speeds of up to 80Mbps by the end of 2016. The 20 new locations are in addition to more than 200 business parks across the two counties where CDS has already delivered fibre broadband or has plans to do so.

As well as this, Exbourne’s exchange has also recently gone live with superfast broadband. More than 13,000 homes and businesses in the West Devon District now have access to high-speed fibre broadband and the number is continuing to increase.

Paul Coles, South West regional manager for the BT group, said: ‘We’re really excited to be able to bring superfast broadband to more business parks.

‘Research was completed on the number of businesses connected — out of 2,000 SMEs (small to medium enterprises) 50 percent saw an increase in sales and 25 percent of those were exports abroad.

‘According to a recent survey, around 50 percent of SMEs were not trading online. As a country we need to do more exporting and this scheme should help those businesses.’

The announcement has been welcomed by the local business community.

Ben Rhodes, chief executive at Devon and Cornwall Business Council, said: ‘We are greatly encouraged by the latest announcement from the CDS partnership. Having access to superfast broadband represents a first and very important step towards enabling our re-gion’s businesses to improve their productivity and, ultimately, their competitiveness in the UK and global marketplaces.

‘The immediate challenge now for all those businesses who have, or are about to have this additional capability, is to consider how digital connectivity could help to redefine their businesses.

‘This is not just about doing things quicker, it’s about doing things better and differently. 

‘That is why we view programmes such as ‘Get Up To Speed’ and the work they are doing to help businesses to update or develop their digital strategies, as such critical components of the CDS delivery.’