The Community Led Infrastructure Fund is a capital grants programme aimed at funding voluntary and community groups, community social enterprises and local public sector (town and parish councils) infrastructure in Wealden.
It’s about investing in the heart of our communities, which create spaces and infrastructure that improves lives, brings people together and supports the wellbeing of all our residents.
Money was ring-fenced from the Community Infrastructure Levy and Climate Emergency Reserves to provide this three-year programme.
The key principle of the Fund is to award grants between £5,000 and £200,000 to qualifying organisations whose applications demonstrate support and involvement of local communities.
The projects must develop new and existing infrastructure, to be accessible to everyone throughout the local community and wider district.
The programme aims to work alongside local organisations to deliver long-lasting benefits to community spaces, infrastructure and facilities, to ensure that everybody is able to make the most of them.
The Fund operates on a rolling programme and seeks to support applications for:
This project received a grant, enabling part-funding towards the renovation of St Peter and St Paul’s Church. This renovation allows the nave of the 900-year-old Grade I listed building to be used for wider community events.
The funding will allow the building to be transformed into a warm, flexible space for additional community activities such as keep-fit classes, music concerts, youth activities and drop-in sessions for older people. It is also being used to secure the future of a community asset, by making it a flagship project for sustainably heating a Grade I listed building for active community use.
“The project will meet the chronic need for more community space in the village. We look forward to seeing this building being used flexibly as a venue for music, theatre, dance and recreational activities to support all ages.”
“Opening up the north door, and enabling disabled access throughout the building, will ensure that everyone can enjoy this historic building for generations to come.”
Reverend Dr Paul Ratcliff
This project received a grant of £78,720, enabling the Horam Village Hall and Recreation Ground Charity to complete an extension to its accessible, all-weather pathway, made from recycled materials, for community use.
The extension in the bottom field of the Recreation Ground now creates a one-kilometre ‘figure of eight’ path, opening up more of the area for residents to enjoy.
It will provide an inclusive opportunity for people with limited mobility and those who may otherwise be excluded from exercise due to social or economic barriers, such as membership costs.
The new pathway will also enable the community to host organised activities and special events, including park runs, nature trails for children and adults, fun runs and regular health walks.
Using eco-friendly recycled materials means the path does not collect rainwater, is easy to maintain with minimum effort and can be enjoyed throughout the year by pedestrians, wheelchair users, people with buggies and toddler balance bikes, cyclists and mobility scooter users alike.
The project will help bring the community together, encouraging people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the Recreation Ground.
As of September 2026, ten grants have been awarded from the fund to the value of £1,014,733 with more applications currently under consideration and in the pipeline.
The fund is supporting a wider range of projects across the district, including the installation of solar panelling on several community buildings, the purchase of a new projector for a community cinema and office furniture and fittings for a be-friending drop-in centre.
