£6million available for local projects in development areas

13 March 2020

Local people and organisations in Southwark are being offered a stake in a £6million pot of funding for community projects.

Southwark Council has raised roughly £23m in Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) since 2015. Now up to 25 percent of this - almost £6m - has been designated as local CIL and is now available to spend on community projects that can be completed by 31 December 2023.

The Community Infrastructure Levy is a levy raised on development schemes (new buildings such as housing, hotels or shops) and the money is used by the council to fund local infrastructure projects. It’s just one of the ways in which developments and developers can give-back to the community - especially to those who've been impacted by the building works (such as neighbours who had to put-up with noise or temporary road closures).

Cllr Johnson Situ, Cabinet Member for Growth, Development and Planning, said: “The growth in the borough over the past decade has created new homes, new jobs, more trade and better transport.

“Local CIL money is a direct investment in the local community on infrastructure projects that you can see, touch and smell. Our approach to allocating the money means the funds are spent in the neighbourhoods in which they were generated.

“So now we want to hear the ideas from our local communities. If you have an idea to support growth in you area - whether it’s infrastructure for transport, green spaces of community facilities, like the one at Surrey Docks Farm, this is an unprecedented opportunity to share your idea and get your project of the ground.

“We’ve got a six week window to gather the best and the brightest ideas from across Southwark and decide upon the best way to spend this money. So don’t delay – you’ve got until Thursday 30 April to get in touch.”

One project that recently benefited from CIL was Surrey Docks Farm. One of the first recipients of local CIL, the farm used money raised from the levy on a local housing development to refurbish their Tower Building.

The farm had been the victim of a arson attack (12 years ago) which put its community space out of action. Since then, more than £500k of CIL money from the council – alongside funds and support leveraged elsewhere thanks to the council’s commitment - has enabled the farm to completely renovate the facilities and provide a better service to the local community than ever before.

The new Tower Building has been designed to a high specification, which means it can once again be used by the local community for meetings, workshops and classes and can even help to generate extra income for the farm, meaning it can remain free to visitors.

Farm Manager, Gemma Hooper, said: “CIL has made a huge difference to us at Surrey Docks Farm. The fact that this money is now available for other projects across the borough is really exciting. Now’s the time for people throughout Southwark to take a look at what’s available, talk to one another, talk to their local councillors and share their ideas for community projects of their own.”

CIL money can be spent on one-off projects that will benefit the local community. This could mean redecorating a community centre or installing new play equipment in a park, but it can't be used for projects with ongoing costs such as paying employees or renting offices.

Decisions on what ideas to fund will take account of the costs and the benefits of the projects, and whether they match local priorities (or themes). For wards that have one, this will include the commitments of the local Social Regeneration Charter.

Each of the borough’s 23 wards has an allocation of CIL money, which will vary according to how much development there has been in the ward. More money may become available in future (as more development takes place) and some money from wards with exceptional levels of funding will be redistributed to those with less.

Southwark Council is inviting an initial round of ideas for CIL funded projects from Tuesday 10 March to Thursday 30 April, 2020. All ideas are welcome and anybody with a suggestion should submit their idea using the council’s new map-based website for CIL projects.

See www.southwark.gov.uk/cil for more information.  
 

Page last updated: 13 March 2020