Greenwich Council’s scheme to allow community groups to share in some of the cash it gets from developers is due to return in September after not taking place last year.
The Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund has been running since 2018, and community groups have been invited to submit bids for projects that will help local people.
But while in recent years applications had been invited in autumn, there was no call-out last year.
Over £2.5 million has been given out to 157 projects across the borough, ranging from new toilets for community halls to a community garden at Shrewsbury House in Shooters Hill and improvements at St Alfege church in Greenwich town centre.
The money comes from developers who pay community infrastructure levy to the council. Most of this is supposed to be spent on large-scale, strategic projects – such as Woolwich’s Elizabeth Line station – but by law councils must allocate a minimum of 15 per cent of this cash – known as “neighbourhood CIL” to smaller, more local projects and consult people on how it is spent.
Greenwich allocates the 15 per cent minimum for the Growth Fund – though in part of Lee Green, the total has to be 25 per cent because it has a neighbourhood plan that residents voted for last year. Neighbouring Lewisham applies the 25 per cent level everywhere in its equivalent scheme.
When applications last opened, in October 2023, there was a pot of £538,000. Successful projects included a heritage trail along Deptford Creek (£4,400) and new tarmac path in Southwood Park in New Eltham (£35,144).
This time around, after a year’s delay, the pot will be £1.1 million. The council says the Growth Fund will launch “later this year”, but hopes to open for applications next month.
A spokesperson told The Greenwich Wire: “We want to maximise benefits for local communities, while ensuring a long-term impact. Under national regulations, 15 per cent of the community infrastructure levy (CIL) goes to neighbourhood projects, as in most London boroughs.
“While raising this to 25 per cent would boost the fund it would reduce resources available for strategic CIL, which also benefits residents.”
The council did not comment on why the scheme had been delayed for a year.
More information about the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund is on the Greenwich Council website.
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