Nine community projects set to go ahead thanks to cash injection of £510k for initiatives

More than £510,000 is set to be reinvested into Babergh and Mid Suffolk communities thanks to funding collected from developers.

Yesterday, (Monday, March 4) cabinet members at Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council voted to approve the latest round of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) bids which includes projects such as play areas upgrades, creation of walking paths and installation of solar panels.

CIL payments, which are a legal requirement paid by developers of residential sites across the districts, will fund nine successful bids for community projects.

Bids made for CIL funding are reviewed by the councils every six months and funding is earmarked for those projects that help enable local infrastructure to grow alongside housing developments.

Since May 2018, Babergh and Mid Suffolk have issued 12 rounds of CIL funding totalling more than £14m, all of which has been provided to infrastructure projects across the districts.

Among the successful bids are major works to the toilet block at Belle Vue Park, in Sudbury, which, once completed, will include brand new accessible changing places toilets; £100,000 to modernise an existing footpath to future proof it for generations to come; and upgrades to both a play area and village hall.

Councillor Andrew Stringer, cabinet member for Heritage, Planning and Infrastructure for Mid Suffolk District Council, said: “It comes as no surprise that as housing grows, so does the pressure on local facilities and it becomes increasingly important to ensure that the local infrastructure can keep up with an increasing demand.

“It is through funding streams such as CIL, that we are able to lend a helping hand to our communities and provide facilities where they are needed the most.”

And councillor Sallie Davies, cabinet member for Planning at Babergh District Council, added: “It is great to see the next round of CIL bids approved by councillors at Babergh District Council.

“Thanks to this funding, our communities can put in place vital facilities and ensure that the infrastructure is able to grow at the same pace as housing.

“I welcome all of the funding bids.  I also look forward to more communities coming to us with great ideas and bringing them to life with CIL funding. “

The full list of awards approved by councillors are:

Belle Vue Toilets/Changing Places Facility and improvements to car park/walls in Sudbury – £240,570.00

Thornham Walks Pioneering Paths – £100,000.00

Cordell Place Play Area in Long Melford – £97,437.31

Solar Panels project in Walsham-le-Willows – £21.337.68

Crowfield Village Hall – £27,282.15

Tthe full list of awards which were noted by councillors:

Swimming Pool Changing Places Toilet in Stradbroke – £9,990.00

Playground Project Stage 2 in Badwell Ash – £8,502.40

Energy efficiency project in Stradbroke – £7,684.00

Merriam Close Play Area Upgrade in Brantham – £3,833.47