£16 million invested in Wealden communities over the past 10 years

A total of £16 million of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding has been given to Wealden district parish and town councils since its introduction by Wealden District Council in 2016.

In this financial year, the council has paid £3.4m to parishes.

CIL is a charge that local authorities in England impose on new developments to pay for improvements to infrastructure that are required because of development. For example, it could be the delivery of play areas, parks, roads, public transport, health facilities, schools and flood defences.

Projects that have benefited from CIL over the past 10 years include:

• Hailsham – repairs to Tony Tack Memorial Skate Park – £31,000
• Crowborough – Replacement of Jarvis Brook Playground – £99,779
• Hailsham – Changing Places and Public Toilet Facility – Vicarage Field – £89,946 (total project cost £136,000)
• Uckfield – Various Streetlighting Repairs – £9,834
• Polegate – Brightling Park Path – £59,635
• Willingdon and Jevington – Bus Shelters – £16,640.68

The parish and town councils in Wealden receive 15% of CIL monies generated from relevant development where a development takes place in its parish. That increases to 25% where a Neighbourhood Plan has been adopted.

Councillor Ian Tysh, Alliance for Wealden (Green Party) and lead councillor for Planning and Environment, said, “The Community Infrastructure Levy funding passed on to our towns and parishes has now climbed to £16 million. This money will be used to mitigate the impact of new development and to provide new local facilities.”

For more information about where the CIL funding has been distributed, please see the document below: IFS 2024-2025