A CONTROVERSIAL plan to introduce superfast broadband across the town has been approved by Swindon Borough Council cabinet.

Last week a £1.9 million proposal for the council to link up with UKB Network to introduce 4G-LTE to 99.4 per cent of homes was announced.

It will involve putting up around 16 cabinets across the region, which will then transmit a signal to houses.

However, some residents and councillors have criticised the move as they say it does not provide sufficient coverage.

Many living in North Swindon, a superfast broadband black spot, have raised concerns and say there are better options, such as laying fibre cables through Virgin or BT.

Council officers have said the project will provide speeds of more than 24 megabytes per second to all homes, but campaigners say talks with Virgin and BT should continue instead of spending such large sums.

Councillor Emma Faramarzi (Con, Priory Vale), who abstained from the vote on Wednesday night, said: “I do have reservations about the coverage in the area I represent, which is currently dreadful. A lot of people have mentioned about how trees won’t impact the signal in rural areas but big buildings are very different. But I hope I am wrong on this occasion and we get good coverage.”

There was a large turnout from members of the public at the meeting, many urging the council to approve, including members of Chiseldon Parish Council.

Around 40 households in the parish have been part of a trial and were keen to espouse the benefits of superfast broadband.

Paul Walton, chairman of the parish council, said: “I would like to promote this scheme as it has been phenomenal for us.

“We had 1.5 to 2 mbps through our previous broadband using the BT cables, whereas now we have speeds of between 38 to 40 mbps and we are quite far from the transmitter.

“I run a business which employs 350 people and I can see the economic benefit of this. I urge Swindon Council to push forward with this and put Swindon back on the map.

“I don’t think there is any other alternative out there at the moment.”

In a bidding process UKBN was the only company to make a formal bid that met the requirements.

Talks had previously been held with BT about a town-wide roll out but the firm indicated it was not in its immediate plans.

The rollout will start over the summer, with completion expected by the end of 2016. Council chiefs have said no money will be given to UKBN until they start to deliver.