GOVERNMENT plans to roll-out super-fast broadband to homes and businesses in Gloucestershire can move forward after getting the thumbs-up from Brussels.
The go-ahead from Europe paves the way for work to start on the high-speed internet scheme around the UK.
Gloucestershire is expected to follow shortly after Wales and Surrey, which will be the first projects to connect up.
It forms part of the £530 million rural broadband programme, of which Gloucestershire was allocated £8 million and will be match-funded by the Government.
Gloucestershire County Council bosses said the location of the high-speed broadband connections were yet to be decided.
They are negotiating contract terms with a preferred bidder.
The state aid approval, allowing contracts to be signed, follows a direct intervention from the Culture Secretary Maria Miller in Brussels last week, after several months of delay in Europe.
She said: "Superfast broadband is essential to creating growth, jobs and prosperity and the delay has caused frustration within Government.
"The announcement means that we can crack on with delivering broadband plans, boosting growth and jobs around the country.
"This green light will benefit both businesses and communities across the UK.
"Our broadband plans are hugely ambitious – to connect 90 per cent of homes to superfast broadband and ensuring the rest have access to at least 2Mbps. The Government will not allow parts of our country to miss out on the digital age."
The European Commission monitors and controls state aid by member states, which have to notify and seek approval for financial assistance.
The Government said the market will provide superfast broadband to around two thirds of the country, but argues it is essential the whole country shares in the benefits of high-speed internet access.
It has therefore provided cash to make it economically viable for telecoms companies to roll-out broadband to the whole of the UK.
Judith Wray, chairman of Woodmancote parish council, said she hoped the village would soon be benefiting from faster broadband.
She said: "I do think that in this day and age we should have a fast broadband."
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