£5m raised from developers spent on community schemes

Communities across Bath and North East Somerset have benefitted from almost £5 million of infrastructure improvements in the past year funded by local development.

The money, raised through S106 agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charges imposed on developers, has been spent on projects from cycle schemes and bus services to youth services and school expansions.

Cllr Tim Ball, cabinet member for planning and licensing, said: “We always look to use CIL funding in the best way we can to deliver infrastructure and community facilities, ensuring the projects we support have a positive impact on our residents.

“Last year we approved funding for a number of large-scale projects including our new community recycling facility at Keynsham.

“However, nearly every community across our district from Temple Cloud to Batheaston and Chew Stoke to Westbury has benefitted in some way.”

B&NES Council’s annual CIL and S106 report details how it spent £1.74m of CIL funding on strategic projects during 2021/22. These included:

£550,000 on Keynsham Recycling Centre;

£250,000 on Radstock’s Healthy Living Centre;

£150,000 on planning and development of cycle schemes;

£45,000 on Bath’s River Line Project.

A proportion of CIL is allocated to towns and parishes. Those with a Neighbourhood Plan receive 25% of CIL receipts, while those without receive 15% capped at £100 per dwelling per year. During 2021/22 the Bath area received £263,000 in local CIL.

A variety of projects were awarded grants including: £125,000 for Bath City Farm Community Hub; £39,000 on Weston Hub Ball

Court & Garden; £9,000 to the Jewish Burial Ground; and £9,000 to Bath City Football Club. Other parishes across the district received a total of £293,000.

Receipts from S106 agreements totalled almost £3.1m in 2021/22. Not all the funding was spent as some projects span financial years.

However, £2.4 million was allocated, including: £835,000 to Keynsham East/two Rivers School; £28,000 to Somer Valley Enterprise Zone; £40,000 to Wellow Brook Walk Project; £327,000 on bus services; £155,000 on youth services; and £10,000 for Keynsham Memorial Park.