Superfast broadband in Millport edged a step closer with proposals for key elements of the necessary infrastructure submitted to council planners.

The news came as BT announced that the number of homes and businesses with access to fibre broadband across Scotland had topped the 1.5 million mark, including 126,000 in Ayrshire.

The initial installation of undersea cabling was launched in December in Millport and was hailed as the most complex sub-sea engineering challenge ever undertaken by BT in UK waters.

With the link to the mainland network secure, BT has submitted applications for the installation of the upgraded network cabinets to North Ayrshire Council planners. They would be sited at Glasgow Street and Stuart Street (2) Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “In the coming months, thanks to the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme, many island communities will start to benefit from fibre broadband – that otherwise would not have received coverage. The rollout of superfast broadband will allow many households across our islands to connect to fibre broadband services for the first time, as well as giving businesses the opportunity to enhance their services.

“It’s a fundamental part of the Scottish Government’s aim to deliver world class connectivity by 2020, enabling people across Scotland to connect any time, any place, anywhere using any device.” The UK Government’s Digital Economy Minister, Ed Vaizey, said: “This is tremendous news for Scotland, and I’m delighted that 1.5m homes and businesses have now got access to a fast and reliable internet connection. The UK government is investing £100 million in superfast broadband for Scotland and our rollout has already reached more than 200,000 properties that the commercial rollout would not have covered.”