Research and analysis

Plymouth PSBU case study

Published 10 September 2026

1. Overview of the Plymouth LFFN project

Plymouth’s Local Full Fibre Network(LFFN) project was developed in response to weaknesses in the city’s digital infrastructure, including very low levels of full-fibre coverage and associated constraints on public service delivery, which the city council saw as limiting both service delivery and economic growth. The council worked with key partners, particularly in the health sector, to explore how connectivity could be improved across the city. The LFFN project emerged from these discussions as one element of this broader response.

The project was delivered using the Public Sector Building Upgrade model, with Openreach appointed as the delivery partner. Connectivity was upgraded across a range of public sector sites where demand had been identified by service providers, particularly in health and education. These included hospitals within the Plymouth Hospitals Trust (including Derriford Hospital), GP surgeries, schools, libraries, youth services, and council facilities. Site selection was informed by input from these organisations, who identified connectivity as a constraint on service delivery.

2. Focus of this case study

This case study focuses on site-level benefits for public sector sites connected through the Plymouth LFFN project, with particular emphasis on the youth service and NHS sites that received upgrades. Evidence is drawn from two main sources:

• One interview with a youth service lead who has detailed knowledge of delivery across sites, supported by documentation provided by the interviewee

• One interview with an individual responsible for network infrastructure across NHS sites

The analysis considers how upgraded connectivity has supported delivery across these services, focusing on changes in how services are delivered at the site level and on the role of connectivity in enabling wider developments in service provision.

3. Evidence limitations

The evidence base for this case study has important limitations and should be interpreted with caution. For the youth service, the evidence allows for a detailed assessment of how upgraded connectivity has supported changes in delivery and engagement. However, for NHS sites, the analysis is based on a single interview with an individual responsible for network infrastructure who was not able to provide detailed insight into site-level service delivery. The NHS findings therefore reflect a technical infrastructure perspective rather than the direct experiences of clinical or operational staff.

4. Site-level benefits: Youth Service

Plymouth Youth Service provides a range of youth work activities for young people across the city, including open access provision, targeted support for specific groups (such as Special Educational Needs and Disabilities(SEND), LGBTQ+ young people and young carers), and outreach and school‑based work. The service operates from a mix of core youth centres and partner venues across Plymouth. Four youth centres received an upgraded broadband connection through LFFN. For this case study, evidence is drawn from an interview with the Community Youth Team Manager, who has oversight of the service’s buildings, staff team and delivery model.

4.1 Previous challenges with connectivity

Prior to the LFFN-funded upgrade, connectivity across Plymouth’s youth service was characterised by low bandwidth and inconsistent performance. Youth centres operated on connections with average speeds of around 10 Mbps, according to supporting documentation supplied by the interviewee. This constraint fundamentally shaped what the service could deliver and how staff had to work.

The limitations affected both preparation and delivery. Although the youth service had funding to invest in up-to-date digital equipment, poor connectivity meant that updates and maintenance could not be carried out within the centres themselves. Staff relied on workarounds, preparing and updating equipment off-site before sessions:

“Staff would have to take… [a] MacBook… home [and]… update, download [from] home Wi-Fi… and bring [it] back in so it can be contemporary and accessible.”

More significantly, the low bandwidth restricted the range of activities that could be delivered on-site. Sessions that depended on stable, real-time connectivity or used newer technologies could not be reliably delivered in-house using the existing connection. The interviewee described how this limitation became particularly apparent during a European Social Fund project involving international collaboration on digital activities. The service lacked the capacity to deliver activities such as 3D printing and Virtual Reality(VR) directly:

“We haven’t got the capacity to be able to do that. So that really highlighted a deficit that we’ve got. We had to use partner agencies to achieve most of the outcomes within that project.”

In this context, the connectivity constraint was not simply a technical inconvenience but a barrier to delivering the types of activities young people wanted and that the service recognised as valuable. The service was aware of what could be offered but lacked the infrastructure to deliver it directly.

4.2 Improvements enabled by the Plymouth LFFN project

The upgraded connectivity has enabled both operational improvements and a fundamental shift in what the youth service can deliver. The interviewee described the upgrade as a “real game changer” and the supporting document referred to the upgraded connection as a “foundational requirement rather than a mere upgrade”, emphasising that many aspects of current delivery would not have been possible without it.

These improvements have translated into changes that matter for how young people engage with the service and what they can access.

Delivery of digitally intensive activities in-house

A key change has been the introduction and delivery of digitally intensive sessions within the youth centres themselves. Activities such as gaming, VR and digital media work are now delivered across multiple sites on a more regular basis. This represents a shift from a service that had to outsource these activities to one able to deliver them as part of routine provision.

The improved connection has allowed the youth service to deliver the types of digital activities that young people had previously identified as priorities through consultation carried out in 2022 as part of an application to the Youth Investment Fund (YIF) to expand provision. The evidence indicates that these activities are now incorporated into delivery across sites and are delivered on a more consistent and structured basis as part of programme delivery. These in-house digital activities range from gaming sessions using on-site PCs and simulators to coding and digital media work, as well as project-based activities such as the Poole Farm Minecraft project, where young people design biodiversity solutions within a shared digital environment.

This demonstrates that the service can now respond to expressed demand rather than being constrained by infrastructure limitations.

Strengthened delivery for young people with SEND

There is also evidence that the upgraded connectivity has strengthened delivery for specific groups. The SEEDS project, which is targeted at young people aged 16–24 with SEND, uses digital tools such as coding, digital art and photography as part of its programme. The upgraded connection allows multiple participants to take part in these activities simultaneously without delay, enabling sessions to run as intended. There is also evidence that some participants have progressed to further opportunities, including applications to college courses and university programmes in areas such as game design and photography.

Expanded access through hybrid delivery and reaching hard-to-reach groups

The improved connectivity has also allowed the youth service to shift some of its more traditional activities from purely on-site delivery to a hybrid model. Young people are now able to take part in sessions remotely, joining activities from home as well as attending in person. This was seen as important because it removes barriers to participation for young people who face difficulties attending in person, such as those with social anxiety or physical limitations in accessing youth centres.

The introduction of hybrid delivery has made it easier to engage hard-to-reach groups. This remote access option has enabled participation among young people who face on-site barriers and who would not otherwise have engaged using a solely centre-based model.

Increased capacity for multiple concurrent users and broader community use

The increased capacity of the connection now makes it possible to support multiple users and devices at the same time without compromising speed or access. The interviewee explained that this has opened up the possibility for the youth service’s connection to be used by other members of the public, beyond its immediate service users:

“Some of those family wellbeing hubs are going to be…using spaces in the buildings, using them as hubs …we’ll have more community members accessing the building, which puts more demand on….the Internet infrastructure.. So having that ability there increases the capacity of what we can do…rather than being kicked off the Internet when we’ve got so many people in the building.”

This suggests that the upgrade has created headroom not only for current youth service activity but also for broader community use of the facilities.

Support for staff development

The upgrade has also supported staff training and professional development. The interviewee’s supporting document explains that the improved connectivity has enabled staff to take part in online training and workshops, helping them to understand how digital methods can be used in youth work. It has also created opportunities for Plymouth Youth Service staff to work with organisations such as the National Youth Agency and contribute to the development of digital youth work standards.

4.3 The counterfactual: What would have happened without LFFN funding

Attribution of the observed benefits to the LFFN upgrade was clear across both the interview and the supporting documentation supplied by the interviewee. The connectivity upgrade was described as a critical enabling factor in moving from a service with limited digital capability to one able to deliver a wider and more consistent range of activities.

Without the LFFN upgrade, the youth service would have continued to rely on low bandwidth connections and workarounds to support delivery. The types of digital activities now delivered in-house - gaming, VR, digital media work, and hybrid delivery - would likely have remained either outsourced to partner agencies or unavailable.

There is also evidence that the upgrade supported the development of the youth service’s digital capability more broadly. The interviewee described how early use of the upgraded connection provided practical examples of what could be delivered, helping to build an evidence base for funding applications. These examples were used as supporting evidence in the successful application to the Youth Investment Fund for further investment and the development of digital projects across sites. This suggests that the LFFN upgrade played an enabling role not only in immediate service delivery but also in unlocking subsequent investment and expansion.

4.4 Enabling factors

The interviewee described a number of additional elements that were needed to translate the improved connectivity into tangible benefits at the site level.

Complementary investment in equipment. The most significant enabling factor was subsequent investment through the Youth Investment Fund , which enabled the development of new digital spaces and the purchase of equipment such as gaming PCs and simulators. This funding built on the initial connectivity upgrade and allowed activity to be expanded and delivered more consistently across sites. Without this complementary investment, the improved connectivity would not have translated into the range of activities now delivered.

Dedicated staffing and capacity. The role of staff capacity and dedicated roles in enabling change was also highlighted by the interviewee. The appointment of a digital engagement worker was described as supporting the exploration of new activities and helping to translate improved connectivity into delivery. This suggests that infrastructure alone is not sufficient; capacity to develop and deliver new models of activity is also required.

4.5 Barriers

Despite these enabling factors, there were some constraints that affected how quickly the benefits of the upgrade were realised. In particular, the interview highlighted the time required between the upgrade being installed and its full use in delivery. These delays resulted from the need to align with local authority standards and processes. For example, introducing new equipment involved safeguarding and IT checks, which the interviewee described as time-consuming to process.

This suggests that while the connectivity upgrade itself was delivered effectively, realising benefits in practice required navigating organisational processes that introduced delays.

4.6 Future uses

The supporting documentation provided by the interviewee indicates that the upgraded connectivity will continue to underpin the expansion of digital delivery across the youth service.

A programme of further development is linked to the rollout of renovated Youth Investment Fund centres, which are expected to support expanded digital activity, including dedicated digital spaces and the continuation of digitally focused work developed following the upgrade. The documentation also indicates plans to deliver “advanced digital youth work”, with the connection enabling staff to conduct early pilots of these new delivery approaches in anticipation of wider rollout.

Several planned additions to the types of digital services offered by the centres are underway, including expanded on-site gaming and immersive activities, as well as further project-based work such as additional Minecraft-based projects and the introduction of new equipment like simulators to support engagement and technical skill development.

5. Site level benefits: NHS sites

Approximately 40 NHS sites in Plymouth received connectivity upgrades through the LFFN programme. These include core hospital facilities and a range of community healthcare locations, such as clinics, minor injury units and sites operated by the local community trust (Livewell Southwest), although it did not include GP surgeries. Evidence is based primarily on an interview with the Network Manager at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. While they were involved in the rollout and implementation of the LFFN connectivity upgrades, the interviewee could provide limited insight on how this has affected care delivery.

5.1 Previous challenges with connectivity

The interviewee described variation in connectivity across NHS sites prior to the upgrade, with larger sites generally having more reliable connections, while smaller and community-based sites, particularly those operated by Livewell, were more likely to experience lower bandwidth and poorer performance. Connectivity at many sites was constrained in terms of speed, with some operating on legacy circuits providing low bandwidth (around 2–10 Mbps), which affected overall performance even where reliability was acceptable.

Where connectivity was limited, this resulted in slower access to systems and delays in loading resources. The interviewee noted that staff could spend time waiting for IT systems to respond during clinical activity, including when accessing patient records. However, the interviewee was not able to provide detailed examples of how these issues affected specific services or workflows at individual sites, noting that this level of detail would sit with service leads rather than infrastructure teams.

5.2 Improvements enabled by the Plymouth LFFN project

Following the upgrade, the interviewee described improvements in both bandwidth and resilience across sites. In many cases, sites retained similar levels of reliability while benefiting from significantly increased speeds, addressing long-standing performance limitations.

The rollout also supported changes to the underlying network approach, including greater use of internet-based connectivity combined with Software-Defined Wide Area Network(SD-WAN) infrastructure to manage traffic between sites. The upgraded infrastructure has enabled improved resilience, including dual connections at some sites and the ability to make use of automatic failover in the event of outages. It has also allowed sites to connect more flexibly to central systems, supporting a wider range of locations, including new or temporary sites.

The interviewee identified a number of improvements at a network level, including increased bandwidth, maintained or enhanced reliability, and improved resilience across sites. These changes have supported smoother access to systems and reduced delays when using IT resources. In particular, the reduction in time spent waiting for systems to load was highlighted as a likely benefit in clinical settings, where delays could previously occur during interactions with patients.

The interviewee also indicated that the upgraded connectivity supports greater flexibility, particularly in scaling connectivity across sites and enabling new or temporary sites to be brought online more quickly. However, they emphasised that they were not well placed to comment on the direct benefits for service delivery at individual sites, noting that this would be better understood through discussions with operational staff.

5.3 The counterfactual, enabling factors and barriers

The NHS interviewee was unable to comment on what the implications for services would have been if the upgrade had not happened. They were also unable to provide evidence on other enabling factors or barriers that may have influenced how the connection has been used in practice.

The interview did highlight the role of the upgrade in supporting changes to the underlying network architecture, including the use of SD-WAN and increased flexibility in connecting sites. The interviewee also identified additional inputs required to deliver the upgraded network, including investment in hardware (e.g. firewalls) and significant staff time to design and implement the solution. However, these points relate to infrastructure and implementation rather than to the counterfactual or to site-level enabling factors and barriers.

5.4 Future uses

The interviewee described a number of anticipated developments linked to the upgraded connectivity, primarily in relation to network scalability and the ability to support new and changing service locations. In particular, the improved infrastructure was seen as supporting greater flexibility in bringing new sites online, including temporary or pop-up locations, where connectivity can now be established more quickly using existing internet connections.

The interviewee also highlighted how this flexibility is expected to support wider changes in service delivery models, including the expansion of community-based services and the opening of new facilities. For example, the interviewee described how services can now be deployed in new locations with minimal lead-in time for connectivity, compared to the more time-intensive processes required previously.

In addition, the interviewee referred to the planned rollout of a shared Electronic Patient Record system across sites. This is expected to increase the importance of reliable and high-capacity connectivity, enabling clinicians to access systems from a wider range of locations, including community-based sites that may not previously have supported this level of access.

However, the interviewee’s perspective on future use was focused on infrastructure and system-level developments, rather than how these changes are expected to affect service delivery at individual sites. They noted that more detailed insight into future service use would need to be provided by operational or clinical stakeholders.

6. Conclusions

6.1 Site level benefits: Youth centres

The Plymouth youth service case study provides new evidence on how improved connectivity can enable fundamental shifts in service delivery for youth provision, an area not examined in detail in previous BDUK‑commissioned evaluations. The evidence shows a clear transition from a service constrained by low bandwidth and reliant on outsourcing digitally intensive activities, to one able to deliver gaming, VR, digital media work and hybrid sessions as part of routine provision. Key benefits included the ability to respond directly to young people’s demand for digital activities, strengthened provision for young people with SEND through reliable multi‑user digital sessions, and improved access for hard‑to‑reach groups through hybrid delivery models that enabled remote participation.

It should be noted that the specific uses observed in Plymouth are relatively distinctive and may not be representative of other youth centres connected through LFFN. In particular, the introduction of activities such as VR and digital media provision reflects local initiatives and investment decisions, rather than a standard model of delivery. The benefits observed were also dependent on a number of enabling factors beyond connectivity alone, including investment in specialist equipment and the presence of dedicated digital engagement staff. This suggests that while improved connectivity can enable new forms of youth provision, the nature and extent of benefits realised will depend on how services choose to develop and support the use of the infrastructure.

6.2 Site level benefits: NHS sites

The Plymouth case study indicates that LFFN connectivity upgrades improved the performance, capacity, and resilience of networks across a wide range of NHS sites, particularly at smaller and community-based locations where connectivity had previously been more constrained. These improvements have supported smoother and more reliable access to systems, reduced delays in clinical workflows, and enabled greater flexibility in connecting new or temporary sites. The upgraded infrastructure also provides a stronger foundation for the rollout of digital systems, including shared electronic patient records and more distributed models of care. This is consistent with the evidence in North Wales, offering further evidence that the findings are applicable to other healthcare sites connected through the programme.

However, the evidence is drawn primarily from a single network-level perspective, and the interviewee was not able to provide detailed insight into how these changes have translated into service delivery or patient outcomes at individual sites. As a result, the findings should be interpreted as indicative of system-level benefits, with more limited evidence on direct impacts in practice.