Developer contributions fund over £3.7m in strategic and community improvement projects

The funding comes from money collected by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a charge on developers of new developments that contributes towards infrastructure and services needed to support them.

Since April 2016, the Council has collected total CIL funding of £16.35 million, of which £2.075 million was collected between April 2023 and March 2024, and a total of £7.06 million has been spent to date.

Investing in strategic infrastructure

The majority of CIL funding collected (about 80%) is used to help deliver infrastructure across the borough that supports development. The Council allocates its strategic CIL funding through a five-year programme of projects, its Strategic Infrastructure Programme (SIP). 

The CIL collected to date has helped fund a range of facilities and services across the borough, such as contributions towards secondary school expansions and new health centre facilities.

During 2023-24, contributions using strategic CIL funds have included:

• £37,000 contribution to the improvement of Salfords & Sidlow Parish Village Hall including improving disability access
• £35,806 towards community safety improvements (CCTV and improved lighting) at Horley Recreation Ground
• £737,539 towards improvements to the YMCA Sports Centre in Redhill.

On the impact of strategic CIL funding for YMCA East Surrey, Ian Burks, CEO, says: "YMCA East Surrey's vision is to create a wholly inclusive Sports Centre that provides superb facilities and diverse activities that will benefit everyone in the community, with a focus on the most vulnerable through targeting people with disabilities, long term health conditions, the elderly and the young. 

“The redevelopment, supported by CIL funding, will provide more space for more exercise classes, a better environment for people to exercise in and some new equipment in the gym. This will improve the health and wellbeing of those who come to the Sports Centre from across the local community."

Local improvement projects

A smaller proportion of the overall funding raised from new developments is reserved specifically to improve the local area where the development is situated. This CIL Local Fund helps the Council invest in smaller neighbourhood projects, many of these nominated by residents, local groups, our Greenspaces Team or ward councillors.

Over the last year, projects benefitting from contributions include:

• funding fencing works at 15th Reigate Scout Grounds, Chipstead (£5,000)
• contributing to replacement and refurbishment of the floor surfaces at the Hall of Church of the Good Shepherd, Tadworth (£44,660.54)
• contributing to the refurbishment and upgrade of WC and changing facilities at the Club House of Reigate Priory Football Club (£26,140)
• funding a play area and walkway at Walton-on-the Hill Primary School (£22,000)
• funding Marbles Pond bank and fishing improvements at Merefield Gardens, Tadworth (£8,049)
• funding the provision of outdoor gym equipment at Lady Neville Recreation Ground (£42,000)
• funding the removal of a dilapidated bench, replaced with a four seat maintenance-free bench on Woodmansterne Village Green (£815.56).

On the benefit of getting CIL local funding, The Hall Committee at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Tadworth, says: “The Church of the Good Shepherd Church Hall has been a home to varied user groups, encompassing all ages, groups and backgrounds for well over 50 years. Prior to the CIL funding, which enabled us to replace the floor, the hall was in danger of closure due to the original flooring having become unsafe – purely down to its age and heavy usage over those years.

“The new floor has allowed this well used community space to remain open, providing a safe place for those groups to continue meeting to enjoy their chosen activities – fostering healthy minds, bodies and relationships across all age groups.”

Give us your ideas

Councillor Rich Michalowski, Executive Member for Place, Planning and Regulatory Services, says: “Over £16m has been collected since 2016 as a result of the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). The funding has had a significant impact on both strategic and local improvement projects, from supporting our growing communities with the services and facilities they need, to enhancing community projects with vital funds.

“The CIL Local fund supports a broad range of causes across the borough and anyone with an improvement idea that can support the area’s development is invited to submit a suggestion for their area. Importantly, we want to ensure the funds collected from new developments are spent on priority neighbourhood projects that deliver positive change for our local communities and so we encourage everyone to have their say.”

Submit your project funding bid

To find out more about CIL, or to submit an improvement idea for your area (via the project bidding form on the ‘Local Fund’ page), see our CIL webpages.

More information

For a full list of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds collected and projects completed or planned, see our latest Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement 2024.

This doesn’t include local projects in Horley and Salfords and Sidlow, as money collected into the CIL Local Fund for these areas is passed to the Town or Parish Council to spend on their own priorities.