PLANS have been drawn up to distribute more than £1.4million of funding to six projects.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding is generated by contributions made when new developments are created across the district.
Lichfield District Council’s cabinet will debate the allocation of the money at a meeting next week.
Among the proposals are more than £1.1million towards a new health centre in Burntwood, £200,000 to help restore a stretch of the Lichfield Canal and £45,000 for a new multi-use games area improvement project in Alrewas.
Other potential awards are £75,000 for a community park in Elford, almost £6,000 for speed awareness signs in Drayton Bassett and £7,000 for yellow lines on Common Lane in Whittington.
A report from Cllr Alex Farrell, cabinet member for housing and the Local Plan, said:
“CIL enables local planning authorities to raise funds from developers undertaking new building projects in their area. The money can be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure that is needed to support the development of the area.”
Applications for the funding were assessed by a an assessment group after bids totalling £2.8million were submitted for the £1.4million pot.
Among those not shortlisted were a project for bus information infrastructure and solar panels on the Lichfield Guildhall.
Cllr Farrell added:
“It is recommended to not fund two projects. The first is the Staffordshire County Council bus information infrastructure project, which is for £517,000, approximately a third of the CIL funding available. After awarding funding to the two highest scoring projects, only a small amount is left and a partial funding award to this project would have very limited impact.
“Allocating funding to smaller projects in our rural communities will have a greater impact for our residents.
“The second project is Lichfield City Council’s application for solar panels on the Lichfield Guildhall roof. This is not recommended for funding as while it broadly fits low carbon requirements, it had a low score as the application has no match funding, no listed building consent and no evidence of stakeholder support.”
A number of community and social initiatives also missed out due to the focus being placed on healthcare, transport and environmental schemes in this round.
It means replacement of a Scout hut roof in Burntwood, improvements to facilities at Chasetown Football Club, Elford Boys Football Club, Lichfield Hockey Club and Lichfield Bowling Club were also not shortlisted, along with a proposed upgrade to the new leisure centre in Lichfield and enhancements at Little Aston Village Hall.
The report will be discussed at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday (11th February).
I really think it’s a disgrace that a large proportion of this CIL money would have been generated by the enormous development that has taken place and that has continued to take place in Fradley, and yet again (as in the last round) Fradley sees none of this money. The are building another health centre in Burntwood according to the report, and Fradley (despite growing to nearly the size of a town) still does not have a single GP practice. And we read almost weekly on here about hundreds and hundreds more new homes planned for Fradley. I’ll say it again, an utter disgrace. The whole system needs overhaul.
I know where this “pot” of money could and should be spent, how about putting it to a very good cause, fill in a few of the “pot” holes that are in most of the roads within Lichfield.
I spent years trying to get new premises for Salters Meadow Centre. Two separate bids reached the final development stages prior to a new build only to be sabotaged at the last minute by local NHS managers who favoured their pals, or other pet projects like the, “health and well being centre” – my advice: watch this with cynical detachment…
Why is money being spent on painting yellow lines? Shouldn’t that be a given considering they’re used to ensure road safety and we also have to pay road tax? Such a wasteful and inefficient system.
@Alan Harper – The district council doesn’t deal with road maintenance.. The money cannot be spent on pot holes. If you’re going to complain about something at least complain to the right people.
@LichfieldAnon but £7000 of this money has already been allocated to painting double yellow lines.