Curo, the Bath-headquartered housing association and developer, has teamed up with a digital housing infrastructure specialist to make sure all residents in its multi-dwelling units have access to full-fibre internet.
Around 4,700 of the 13,000 homes in Curo’s, portfolio across Bath, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire are multi-dwelling units, usually blocks of flats.
By partnering with Complete Technology Group (CTG), third-party Internet Service Providers and CTG sister company Complete Fibre, Curo will be able to optimise full-fibre network access for its multi-dwelling units, including at its Bradford Park development in Foxhill, Bath, pictured.
Launched in 2020, Milton Keynes-based CTG acts as a link between landlords and telecommunications providers, so enabling residents to gain safe access to reliable, ultra-fast digital connectivity.
Curo director of assets Matt Steele said rather than respond reactively to ad hoc requests from telecoms companies, the firm was keen to work strategically across its estate ahead of the ‘Copper Switch Off’, internet provider Openreach’s plan to shut down all its copper broadband and phone line networks in favour for faster and more reliable technology by the end of 2025.
“This will save us time and resources in the long term,” he added.
“CTG is helping us to plan the fibre roll-out, and then audit buildings post-installation, ensuring the integrity of the building is preserved and is fully compliant with regulations.
“Its service doesn’t cost Curo or our residents any money and enables us to future-proof the building so over time all residents will get access to fibre broadband.”
As well as the strategy and planning, CTG holds all parties to account through its audit process and provides the landlord with a digital asset record for each multi-dwelling units.
This gives full transparency and accountability for all fibre installations.
CTG chief commercial officer Kevin Monaghan said: “With something of a race underway to lay fibre in the UK, upholding the principles of the Building Safety Act’s golden thread is critical to keeping residents and landlords safe.
“Fibre installations are not exempt from building regulations and we’re working with landlords, at no cost, to help them meet their obligations in this area.
“At the same time, we work with telecoms companies to help them gain access to buildings in a timely manner and install safely.”
CTG already works with a number of social landlords, including Orbit, A2 Dominion, One Housing Group, Aster, Settle, L&Q and Sovereign.
Curo, one of the largest housing associations in the South West, is best known in Bath for its flagship 700-home Mulberry Park development on former MoD land on the city’s outskirts.
As well as managing its portfolio of homes, it builds hundreds of new properties a year. Last year it secured £160.4m in partnership with an Essex-based housing association to build nearly 2,500 homes over the next five years under the government’s latest Affordable Homes Programme.
