More than £1.5 Million of Community Projects Set to be Approved Next Week
MORE than £1.5 million of benefits for neighbourhoods across Reading are set to be agreed next week. All of this money comes from contributions paid by developers to Reading Borough Council as part of the standard conditions attached to the grant of new planning permissions.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge applied to new developments in Reading, 15% of which needs to be used to fund infrastructure improvements in the local area where a development takes place.
Outstanding CIL payments collected up until 2018/19, and funds collected in 19/20, mean there is a total of £1.669 million of funding available to allocate. Following an online consultation earlier this year with 171 responses, the proposals, which total £1.557 million, are set to be ratified at a meeting of the Council’s Policy Committee on Monday June 14th.
They are:
£75,000 for Borough-wide graffiti removal project
£50,000 for town centre monuments and statues
£100,000 for war memorials and public art
£100,000 for Thames cycle path in Kings Meadow
£275,000 for the High Street Heritage Action Zone project
£75,000 for Shinfield Road Recreation Ground improvements
£95,000 for skate park at John Rabson Recreation Ground
£95,000 for Waterloo Meadows play area improvements
£100,000 for Arthur Newbery Park play area improvements
£95,000 for Oxford Road Recreation Ground play area improvements
£50,000 for pedestrian crossing on Norcot Road
£85,000 for Dover Street play area improvements
£2,000 for laptops for Coley Park Community Centre
£100,000 for Brook Street West improvements
£30,000 for Moriston Close play area improvements
£100,000 for Palmer Park play area improvements
£5,000 for Morpeth Close road marking
£50,000 for pedestrian crossing on Addington Road
£50,000 for pedestrian crossing on Church End Lane
£10,000 for lining alteration on The Meadway
£15,000 for landscaping improvements at South Whitley Park
The balance of available 15% local CIL funding is £112,000 and will be carried over to be allocated in future years.
Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, said:
“The Council is pleased to put forward this long and varied list of community improvements which will benefit neighbourhoods right across Reading. They range from improvements to local play areas, new pedestrian crossings and cycle paths and investment in cultural and community activities, along with a borough wide graffiti removal project.
“Many of these projects have been put forward by local communities themselves, with the support of the local councillors who represent them.
“Reading remains an extremely attractive proposition for developers but it is essential that local communities across the town get something back for developments which take place in their areas.”
The full Policy Committee Report can be found at https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/documents/s17320/CIL%2015.pdf