£1.3m boost for Babergh and Mid Suffolk communities

26/10/23

Town and parish councils in Babergh and Mid Suffolk will receive more than £1.3 million in developer contributions this month

Town and parish councils in Babergh and Mid Suffolk will receive more than £1.3 million in developer contributions this month – helping communities to keep pace with housing growth.

The latest neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils will see £1,355,329 distributed between 67 town and parish councils across the districts.

Of this, £1,028,795.56 will be allocated to 40 town and parish councils in Mid Suffolk, whilst 27 of Babergh’s town and parish councils will receive a share of £326,533.78.

Town and parish councils can then decide how to spend this money to best support the development of their local area and meets the needs of its community.

CIL payments are a legal requirement paid by developers building houses across the districts. These funds are then reinvested by the councils into the communities, helping local infrastructure to develop at the same rate as housing.

A proportion of this funding is paid directly to town and parish councils, with a higher amount going to those with successfully adopted Neighbourhood Plans.

Cllr Sallie Davies, cabinet member for planning at Babergh District Council, said:

“With the increase in housing in our local areas, it is really important that supporting infrastructure is able to grow at the same pace and it is through funds such as CIL, that we can enable this crucial grassroot investment in our communities.”

Cllr Andrew Stringer, cabinet member for planning, heritage and infrastructure at Mid Suffolk District Council, said:

“Through CIL funding, the council is able to provide financial support to the towns and villages within our district that have seen the most housing growth. It is vital that those communities receive the help they need to fund additional facilities and infrastructure to meet demand.”

These neighbourhood CIL awards are in addition to the £15m of CIL funding given to specific community projects across the districts since 2018.

In the latest round of awards in September, 18 community projects received more than £700K to fund work including play areas, cycle paths and village hall improvements.

The latest CIL bid round is open until October 31. Successful bids will receive their funding decision in spring 2024, subject to approval by cabinet.

Further information about how CIL works can be found on the council’s website, with details about how the levy has been allocated available on the councils’ award winning Developers Contribution Database.