Ofcom has published plans to advertise at least 12 new Digital Radio multiplex licences over the next year, including a second multiplex which will cover most parts of the UK.
GCap Media, owners of the first national licence had originally objected to Ofcom advertising a second national multiplex after being told there would only ever be one available.
Under the previous regulator, the Radio Authority, the existing national multiplex had been awarded to Digital One (63% owned by GCap) which had been announced by the Authority at the time as the first and only national licence.
The GCap Media board decided to make a u-turn and not proceed with a Judicial Review, saying they are now confident that the next phase of development is intended to truly broaden choice for listeners.
The new national licence will be advertised in November 2006 with the local multiplex licences available from December. In order, the full details are:
[b]Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire[/b]
The area covered will be the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, including the Unitary Authority areas of Luton and Milton Keynes.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Three Counties Radio.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 1,829,000
[b]Derbyshire[/b]
The area covered will be the county of Derbyshire, including the Unitary Authority area of Derby, and parts of the East Staffordshire and Staffordshire Moorlands districts of Staffordshire, including Burton-upon-Trent.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio Derby.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 843,000
[b]Wrexham & Chester[/b]
The area covered will be the Unitary Authorities of Flintshire/Sir y Fflint and most of Wrexham/Wrecsam, the western part of Cheshire, including the districts of Chester and Ellesmere Port & Neston, and the Wirral district of Merseyside.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 638,000
[b]Herefordshire & Worcestershire[/b]
The area covered will be the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Hereford & Worcester.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 586,000
[b]Northamptonshire[/b]
The area covered will be the county of Northamptonshire.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio Northampton.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 505,000
[b]Oxfordshire[/b]
The area covered will be the county of Oxfordshire.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio Oxford.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 494,000
[b]York & Scarborough[/b]
The area covered will be the eastern part of North Yorkshire, the City of York, and northern districts of the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio York.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 489,000
[b]Gloucestershire[/b]
The area covered will be the county of Gloucestershire.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 460,000
[b]Pembrokeshire & Carmarthenshire[/b]
The area covered will be the counties of Pembrokeshire/Sir Benfro and Carmarthenshire/Sir Gaerfyrddin.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 234,000
[b]Guildford[/b]
The area covered will be the county of Surrey, together with the Rushmoor district and parts of the Hart and East Hampshire districts of Hampshire, and parts of the Chichester district of West Sussex.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Southern Counties Radio.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 1,086,000
[b]Reigate & Crawley[/b]
The area covered will be eastern parts of the county of Surrey south of the M25 orbital motorway, the Crawley district of West Sussex, the parts of the Horsham and Mid Sussex districts of West Sussex that are not in the PPA of the existing Sussex Coast multiplex, and the parts of the Lewes and Wealden districts of East Sussex that are not in the PPA of the existing Sussex Coast multiplex.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Southern Counties Radio.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 466,000
[b]Lincolnshire[/b]
The area covered will be most of the county of Lincolnshire, including the Unitary Authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. However, due to spectrum limitations, this local multiplex is unlikely to be able to cover the South Holland district of Lincolnshire or the southern part of the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire. These districts are within the PPA of the Peterborough local radio multiplex.
Capacity on this multiplex will be reserved for BBC Radio Lincolnshire.
Predicted adult population within PPA: 669,000