After being told they would have to pay tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of pounds to get decent broadband speeds, the long-suffering residents of the small village of Stormontfield on the banks of the Tay decided to take matters into their own hands.

With support from Perth and Kinross Council, the community worked with broadband technology company Broadway Partners to build a network of transmitters and receivers to cover the village’s forty properties. The new service can deliver speeds up to a thousand times faster than before thanks to an innovative combination of fibre and radio technology.

The new service was formally commissioned by John Swinney MSP today (Monday 10th June) in a ceremony at Stormontfield Community Hall. Attending will be local residents, including Lord and Lady Mansfield, who generously donated funds to support the initiative.

Isobel Wales, chair of Stormontfield Community Association, said “Having access to decent broadband speeds is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Our community includes older people, people with disabilities, young families and people running small businesses from home, all of whom will benefit enormously from this initiative. It is a great example of what even small communities like ours can achieve if they come together.”

Lord Mansfield added “Lady Mansfield and I are delighted to have supported the delivery of high-speed broadband that will provide such a significant improvement in communications for Stormontfield and the local community.”

Angues Forbes, Convener Environment & Infrastructure Committee for Perth and Kinross Council, said “The Council recognises the importance of the internet to people’s daily lives and that rural areas such as Stormontfield struggle to get adequate connections.  We were happy to support this community initiative which is a good example of what can be done on a local issue when local residents, the Council and suppliers work together.”

Michael Armitage, Managing Director of Broadway Partners, concluded “Broadway was delighted to be asked to design a solution to Stormontfield’s broadband needs and, with help from Perth & Kinross Council and with the support of the community, has delivered a high-speed network, using a mix of fibre and state of the art radio technology. We look forward to serving the residents of Stormontfield for years to come.”