HIGH-SPEED broadband will finally reach all residents living on Bicester’s new Kingsmere estate after a developer agreed to stump up the cash.

Kingsmere Residents’ Association has been lobbying for faster broadband for more than two years.

Bovis Homes, Taylor Wimpey Homes and David Wilson Homes agreed in January to contribute towards the upgrading work but Bellway Homes had initially refused to pay its share, arguing it was not its responsibility.

But this week local MP Sir Tony Baldry said the “final piece of the puzzle” was now in place after the developer came round.

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He said: “I am very glad that Bellway Homes has responded so positively to my request that they fund their share of the cost of superfast Broadband on the Kingsmere Estate.”

With all companies now in agreement, cabinet upgrades will be able to serve all properties on the 450-home estate, though BT Openreach has yet to finalise a definite date for the work.

Residents formed their association when BT Openreach, which installs broadband, said it would not deal with individual households, only a community group.

Kingsmere Residents’ Association co-chairman Graham Brogden said: “We are incredibly grateful to developers.

“It has been a long process but we are grateful we can work together.

“It is a great example of people power and everybody in the community pulling together.

“The community spirit of Kingsmere has shone through.”

Andy Levis, chairman of the association’s broadband sub-committee, said the slow internet speed had been it difficult for those, like him, to work from home.

He said: “It has limited my work, as we cannot work at the same time or browse the internet at the same time and for a while we didn’t have it at all.

“We couldn’t do it individually, the residents’ association allowed us to have a collective voice and talk to our MP. ”

Work started on the estate near Bicester Village in 2010 and could see up to 1,500 homes built. A Premier Inn and Brewers Fayre have been built with future plans for a new sports village, primary school, secondary school, GP surgery and care home.