Nottingham has won European Living Lab status to develop its Connected Nottingham programme. The award, due to be announced at the European Commission’s prestigious ICT2008 event in Lyon, France today (25th November), will give a further boost to Nottingham’s recognition as one of Europe’s foremost Science Cities.

The Connected Nottingham bid was developed by local organisation Accelerate Nottingham in partnership with Nottingham City Council’s Regional and International Team and based on a number of leading edge projects developing accessibility to high speed broadband access and advanced business applications.

The Connected Nottingham Living Lab will further develop projects to support Nottingham’s key public agencies, businesses and citizens to work together on innovative ICT schemes in the conurbation. Drawing on a wide range of technical knowledge, experience and leadership it seeks to demonstrate how ICT initiatives can be used to tackle economic and social challenges and acts as a partnership vehicle for the funding and delivery of integrated conurbation-wide ICT projects.

Experience and knowledge will be shared with other Living Lab members on innovative and creative ICT projects, using this enhanced know-how to further develop high quality localised sources of EU research and development funding.

Councillor Graham Chapman, Deputy Leader of Nottingham City Council said it was another feather in the city’s cap: “Coming soon after such successful events as GameCity and the National Science Cities Summit, it shows that we are determined to build on Nottingham’s image as a forward-looking city with a dynamic science and technology sector.”