Thousands of rural premises in Teesdale are set to gain access to faster broadband after a multi-million-pound contract was awarded under the Project Gigabit scheme.

Borderlink, trading as GoFibre, will work with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Durham County Council to enable 4,000 homes and businesses to access gigabit-capable broadband. The contract was made possible by a DCMS investment of £6.6m.

Digital infrastructure minister Julia Lopez said: ‘I’m delighted Teesdale will be one of the first places to benefit from the dozens of multi-million pound contracts we will be signing over the coming weeks and months to make sure people in “hard-to-reach” areas across the UK get the broadband they deserve.’

The project will cover towns, villages and hamlets across the region including premises near to Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland, subject to further survey completion.

A GoFibre spokesperson said: ‘Closing the digital divide and helping local communities to thrive by providing previously unimaginable levels of capability through high-quality broadband services is at the heart of everything we do.

‘Through our latest appointment, we will work as a trusted partner, equipping Teesdale with world-class connectivity built for the future.’

Cllr Susan McDonnell, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for digital, customer services and procurement, said: ‘We look forward to working on this exciting development, which will benefit thousands of our residents and businesses in rural areas.

‘Reliable broadband is integral to our ambitious plans for economic growth across County Durham. It plays a significant role in opening up a wider range of education and employment opportunities and helping communities to connect with each other and thrive.’