Community projects get £800k from home developers

The new Blackbridge Community Sports Hub is one project that will receive a boost

Three community projects are set to share more than £800,000 from homebuilding levies in Gloucestershire.

Tewkesbury Borough Council is allocating £804,251 to projects in Tewkesbury, Cheltenham and Gloucester, following a decision made at a joint meeting.

This investment comes from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments collected across the three council areas between January 2019 and February 2025. CIL charges are imposed by local authorities on developers carrying out new building projects to help fund surrounding infrastructure.

Councillor Richard Stanley, leader of Tewkesbury Borough Council, said the investment reflected a "strong commitment" to "long-term community wellbeing".

The levies are used to address the increased demand on local services and amenities created by new housing and other developments.

The first project to receive funds will be the Blackbridge Community Sports Hub in Podsmead, Gloucester.

A total of £534,251 will go towards funding phase two of the scheme, with planned improvements to the grass pitches, sustainable drainage, and landscaping.

Councillor Sarah Sawyer, cabinet member for planning at Gloucester City Council, said the state-of-the-art facility would "open up many more opportunities, especially for young people".

In Tewkesbury, £120,000 will be allocated towards a new footbridge over the River Swilgate.

This will replace the Legion Footbridge, which closed in April 2020 due to safety concerns.

The final project to benefit will be £150,000 towards the shared waste and recycling depot for Cheltenham and Tewkesbury.