CityFibre to invest £389m in the North

Digital platform CityFibre is investing £389m in construction contracts in the North which will create hundreds of jobs in key Yorkshire hubs.
The investment will create 970 new local network construction jobs in Sheffield, Halifax, Bradford, Barnsley, Blackpool, Preston and ChesterThe investment will create 970 new local network construction jobs in Sheffield, Halifax, Bradford, Barnsley, Blackpool, Preston and Chester
The investment will create 970 new local network construction jobs in Sheffield, Halifax, Bradford, Barnsley, Blackpool, Preston and Chester

The investment will create 970 new local network construction jobs in Sheffield, Halifax, Bradford, Barnsley, Blackpool, Preston and Chester as part of a wider, three year recruitment programme that will create up to 10,000 jobs.

CityFibre, the UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform, has previously announced a £1.5bn investment, awarding construction contracts for full fibre rollouts across 27 UK towns and cities, addressing up to three million premises.

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In Sheffield, Halifax, Bradford, Barnsley, Blackpool, Preston and Chester, CityFibre has appointed Telent, O’Connor Utilities, NMCN and Network Plus to deliver its full fibre rollouts.

CityFibre will announce at a later date how many jobs will be created in Yorkshire towns and cities.

The firm has already committed £204m to rollouts throughout Yorkshire and the North West, including Leeds, Rotherham, Huddersfield and Doncaster. These contracts are being delivered by OCU and Heneghan’s Civil, with all projects due to be substantially completed by 2025.

Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “Alongside improving transport links, full fibre is critical to powering the economy and boosting productivity across the Northern Powerhouse.

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“Creating jobs in fast growing sectors such as digital, enabling the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing through to energy and in health, will be critical to levelling-up and driving forward the recovery - as well as the direct employment from the build out of these networks at a time of heavy job losses.

“The Northern Recovery Plan we are calling for will see digital infrastructure play a crucial role. We must follow CityFibre’s lead and start to build back better now - even under heightened national restrictions - in order to create new jobs and close the North/ South divide. It is the Government’s role to back this where they can.”

The conclusion of this first phase of its Accelerated Tender Awards Programme (ATAP) brings CityFibre’s total contracted investment to approximately £2.5bn.

With 26 build partners now under contract, its construction supply chain is secured for rollouts targeting over five million premises across 66 towns and cities.

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Greg Mesch, CEO of CityFibre, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our existing builds in the North by adding these new locations with an investment of up to £389m.

“By awarding these full fibre network construction contracts in the region, we can ensure we have the construction resources we need to get the job done, bringing world-class digital infrastructure a step closer to millions across the UK.

“Each contract represents hundreds of jobs and upskilling opportunities for local people, building the networks Britain needs to survive and to thrive in a digital age.”

The rapid scaling of CityFibre’s rollout is being supported by Bechtel, one of the world’s leading engineering, construction and project management companies. Bechtel was recently appointed to accelerate the mobilisation of CityFibre’s construction partners and to maximise the productivity of each rollout project.

CityFibre provides wholesale connectivity to multiple business and consumer service providers, local authorities and mobile operators.

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