BADGERS have held up a scheme designed to provide faster internet links to a North Yorkshire town.
The work to install fibre broadband to about 450 Easingwold homes has been temporarily halted after engineers found badger setts in the area.
A specialist consultant has been called in by NYnet, North Yorkshire County Council’s broadband project, to assess whether the setts are “active”.
If they are, Openreach, the BT section rolling out fibre broadband, must apply for a licence from Natural England laying down guidelines about how far away from the setts the engineering work must be to continue. Such a licence would probably be awarded at the end of June, although work can restart immediately if no badgers are found.
John Moore, NYnet's chief executive, said: "Bringing fibre broadband to England's largest rural county was always going to present some challenges, but this is a first for us.
"If we do find there's a risk of disturbing local wildlife and their natural habitat, we take the matter very seriously. That's why we've temporarily suspended our work in the Easingwold area and enlisted the help of a badger expert to make sure these animals are protected, Engineering work will continue once we're advised of the best course of action."
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