Funding of £50,000 up for grabs for infrastructure projects in West Norfolk

Bidding for the money from the Borough Council starts today

Author: Charlotte FisherPublished 25th Jan 2021
Last updated 25th Jan 2021

Community infrastructure projects in West Norfolk could be helped out by funding of more than £50,000 from the Borough Council.

Groups and organisations are invited to apply for the cash through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which has opened for bids today (25 January).

Grants are available from £2,000 to more than £50,000.

The bidding process is open to community groups and other infrastructure providers/partners in West Norfolk, ward members, town and parish councils, and organisations that wish to deliver infrastructure that will benefit the residents and businesses of the area.

Cllr Richard Blunt, Cabinet Member for Development, explained:

"CIL is collected from developers when they build new homes in the districts and helps the borough council to meet infrastructure demand from development to provide for and support our local communities.

"These grants are on top of the CIL that already goes to parish and town councils. Parishes can apply for this funding, in addition to their parish payment.

"This is an exciting opportunity that should help us bring to fruition the schemes that our communities want."

The Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk CIL Infrastructure Fund has been separated into 3 specific project types, to enable the funding to meet wider borough infrastructure requirements and to support local community needs:

60% Strategic Infrastructure Projects - Over £50,000

Infrastructure Priorities:

o Education related to 18+ employment - post college based education

o Transport - linked to the Lynn Transport Plan

o Environment - green areas linked to the BCKLWN Climate Change Policy

20% Community Projects - Between £10,000 and £50,000

Infrastructure Priorities:

o Education - local initiatives

o Health

o Economic Development

20% Local Projects - Between £2,000 and £10,000

Infrastructure Priorities:

o Community Facilities

o Green Infrastructure

o Open Space and Leisure

o Community Transport

CIL can fund all of a project, or can be combined with funding available from other sources. CIL can be used to increase the capacity of existing infrastructure or to repair failing infrastructure if that is necessary to support development.

Applications open today (25th January) and close at 5pm on 30 April 2021.

Proposals will go to the Cabinet Meeting on 15 June 2021 and will be presented to Full Council on 8 July 2021.

Find all the details on how to apply here.