Virgin’s “Project Lightning” will see the network extended to cover four million new homes and businesses by 2020.

The media giant said: “This network expansion programme is expected to create 6,000 new jobs in the UK at Virgin Media and across its construction partners.”

McNicholas is Virgin’s largest construction partner in the UK.

Chief executive Barry McNicholas said: “As a long-term supplier to Virgin Media, McNicholas will be delighted to play a significant part in the delivery of this major new investment in the broadband digital infrastructure for the United Kingdom, which is great news in terms of job creation and as a positive boost to the economy.

“Working in partnership with Virgin Media since 2002, we are also delighted to have not only renewed our current contract for services in the Southern half of the UK for the next five years , but through the award of a similar contract in Scotland and the North-East, we have substantially added to our existing geographic footprint with this important client, representing a circa £300m contract award to our business.

“The  proposed multi-billion pound investment spend in Project Lightning will be in addition to these framework awards and we very much look forward to helping Virgin Media deliver its strategic goals in the exciting period ahead.”

Other major construction partners with Virgin are believed to include Kelly Communications, Comex 2000, Sierra Support Services, MAP, NMC and John Henry.