£100,000 3G pitch grant for clubs in latest round of CIL funding

More than £500,000 collected from developers in Mid Suffolk and Babergh is going back to communities in the districts after councillors approved the latest round of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) bids.

A total of 11 bids are receiving support for community projects – including three £100,000 contributions – which means new play facilities, improvements to health centres, additional pedestrian routes and disability parking spaces and village halls thanks to CIL payments – a legal requirement paid by developers of residential sites across the districts.

One of the largest CIL awards is £100,000 for AFC Sudbury’s new million-pound plans for a 3G pitch and site development at the football club (pictured above). The award will be used solely for the pitch, but the club’s plans also include new disability parking spaces and a catering unit for use on matchdays and events, subject to planning permission being granted for the scheme of work.

Every six months, the councils consider the bids made for CIL funding, earmarked for projects to help local infrastructure keep pace with development. This latest allocation is the tenth round of CIL funding and brings the total allocation delivered to the districts to more than £13m since May 2018.

Also among the other successful CIL bids this round are two more £100,000 sums, one for an extension and activity room at Stutton Village Hall and another for new play area improvements on Capel St Mary playing field.

There is also funding for a play area in Haughley and improvements for play equipment in Monks Eleigh, improvements to Stradbroke’s health centre, support for the Hoxne Church Lavatory Project, footpaths at Stowupland’s Trinity Meadows, and upgrades to the Millennium Green at Edwardstone.

Two more decisions were also approved by council officers before the latest round of bids heard at Monday’s cabinet meetings, with renovations to Mendham Village Hall car park and new fencing for the Kirby Rise Green play area.

Babergh deputy leader and cabinet member for Planning, Clive Arthey, said: “We are delighted to support AFC Sudbury with £100,000 for this latest project – the club is something the town can be very proud of and a new 3G pitch would be a fantastic resource for the teams and the surrounding area. More than £13m has now been distributed through CIL by Babergh and Mid Suffolk to support our towns and villages with much needed infrastructure improvements.

“Additional housing increases the need for facilities and with CIL we are able to provide the funding for projects that can make a real difference to our communities.”

Mid Suffolk cabinet member for Planning, David Burn, added: “The breadth of applications to this round of CIL funding highlights just how many improvements are being made possible in parishes throughout Mid Suffolk. Other examples include: making the health centre in Stradbroke more energy-efficient to futureproof it from rising prices; Hoxne getting its first fully accessible public toilet; and adding new footpaths to Stowupland to improve connectivity as more housing is built. Such projects and many others funded by CIL are enhancing the lives of our residents.

“We can distribute this funding thanks to the expenditure framework the council regularly reviews, thanks to the comprehensive applications our parishes make, and thanks to the work of our officers who ensure this levy is delivered where our residents need it most.”