THE race is on to drive Herefordshire towards a digital future of hi-tech homes and businesses hard-wired to “the best broadband in Britain” within the next 16 years.

The toughest technological test the county has ever faced has a huge stake in shaping its 21st century future.

Shaping our Place, a new development document, pitches a better broadband network as a lifeline for rural communities and their potential to be either hi-tech “hubs” or host clusters of home-based businesses.

The paper outlines intended development patterns in the county up to 2026 and goes out to public consultation this week.

Much of what is in the Herefordshire Council document – like the Hereford relief road and new housing numbers – has already been extensively aired.

The biggest shift sees better broadband move from being a project of interest to a number one policy priority, underpinning key elements of what the county can become over the next 16 years.

By then, the plan wants a full fibre optic infrastructure in place matching the best in the country.

As regularly reported by the Hereford Times, the county’s internet systems lag a long way behind the rest of the UK with limited broadband speeds and coverage.

But the catch-up is underway.

Whitestone-based company Allpay is already successfully trialling a specifically localised broadband network in several parishes that has the potential to be rolled out countywide as the basis for a future subscriber service.

Right now the county has little choice but to go it alone, with BT claiming options to meet the bill are not cost effective.

Whitehall is watching the Allpay trials closely as a model for similar projects under the Digital Britain programme.

Shaping our Place says planning condition contributions from developers coveting sites in the county could now be channelled into community IT projects.

Consultation over Shaping our Place started in Hereford this week and will be touring the county’s market towns until February 24.