Fast broadband in new homes to become law

The Scottish Government has announced that fast broadband will be part of all new-build homes from January 2025 in a bid to bridge the connectivity gap.

Legislation will be brought forward to amend building standards so all new homes have gigabit-capable connection, which is understood to be the fastest broadband that home users can access.

Announcing the change, business minister Richard Lochhead said: “Connectivity is no longer a luxury, but an essential part of every-day life enabling remote working, access to public services, education, and health.

“That’s why the Scottish Government is using its powers to reduce the barriers to accessing faster broadband so Scotland’s people and businesses can make the most of the opportunities connectivity brings.”

Under the new law, all developers will have to build homes with the appropriate physical infrastructure and a gigabit-capable connection, subject to a £2,000 cost cap per dwelling.

Where this is not possible, new builds will have the next fastest broadband connection within the cost limit. And, developers will have to provide two quotes from network operators over the cost cap to claim an exemption from the new law's requirement.

The announcement comes after the SNP listed access to a gigabit connection as “infrastructure critical to the economy” in its programme for government.

In it, the party pledged to connect more than 20,000 premises to gigabit-capable broadband by March 2025.

The change also comes amid an ongoing row on connectivity across rural areas, after former first minister Humza Yousaf claimed that superfast broadband was available across the country.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur, who represents constituents in Orkney, hit out at the claim, inviting Yousaf to the islands “to explain to local households and businesses how they can access the superfast broadband that has now been delivered”.

Ofcom statistics released before Yousaf’s comment had shown that areas of Orkney had no access to superfast availability while Compare the Market’s research had also revealed Orkney was home to the slowest broadband speeds in the UK.