IT promises to make the information superhighway as we know it look pretty ordinary.

A multi-million pound scheme to revolutionise Internet delivery, led by pioneering Hampshire scientists, was unveiled yesterday.

The six-year project is designed to develop new technologies that will make broadband 100 times faster, allowing users to stream live high definition videos straight to their TVs and download music and other data at an incredible rate.

The £7.2m Photonics HyperHighway programme will see world-leading experts at the University of Southampton working with colleagues from the University of Essex and industry partners.

It was announced by Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts as he officially opened the cutting edge £55m Mountbatten Building, where much of the new research will be carried out.

Fantastic facility

The building was built to replace the laboratories of the same name that burned down in 2005.

Mr Willetts told gathered academics he believes the new Mountbatten Building is a “fantastic facility” for the university, and spoke of his excitement about the new Internet project, which will help Britain lead the world in research.

He said: “It was a terrible blow when the old building burned down in 2005, but with the spirit you would expect of this university, you have come back with a building that is bigger and better than the one that was sadly lost.

“We know the world lead that you have in photonics and the excellent work being done here.

“The hyper highway is something that will make the super highway look like the slow lane. It really has the potential, truly to revolutionise the Internet.

“I very much look forward to the exciting breakthroughs it will bring,” he added.

Professor David Payne, who will lead the HyperHighway scheme, said it cements Southampton’s position at the cutting edge of Internet technology.

He said: “Most people don’t realise the degree to which Southampton has provided the technology that is behind so much of what they do everyday.

“The work here at the university is not just crazy new ideas and publications, it actually gets out into our own local industry, supports them and creates jobs and wealth and keeps our hi-tech industry here in Southampton supported, and that’s one of the things I’m most proud of.

“Since much of the technology that powers today’s Internet came from right here at the University of Southampton, we’re the obvious people to develop the next generation.”