Two GP surgeries, an arts centre, a museum and a recreation ground have passed a critical stage in getting a share of £1.3m from East Cambridgeshire District Council.
The five projects all scored sufficient points to move to the next stage of funding through the cash available to the council through the Community Infrastructure Level (CIL).
Bidding organisations are point scored and need to pass the 50 per cent threshold and of 11 put forward, only five got sufficient marks to move to the next stage of funding.
CIL was introduced by the council five years ago and is the levy put on most new developments and the money is used to help with infrastructure projects to support growth.
The successful five can now have the confidence to take their applications forward and submit formal applications that will be considered by the resources and finance committee.
It is a key moment, as councillors were told at Thursday’s full council.
The five bids are:
1: CIL funding requirement of £295,000 towards the £612,500 cost of ground improvements to Burwell recreation ground
2: CIL funding of possibly £100,000 towards the £1.9m redevelopment of Ely Museum
3: CIL funding of potentially £180,000 for the new Arts Mill project in Soham
4: CIL funding of possibly £180,000 for an extension to Sutton GP surgery
5: CIL funding of £600,000 towards the £1.5 million cost of Stretham GP surgery
Councillor Lorna Dupre stressed the significance for Sutton GP Surgery Extension.
“It will make a huge difference,” she said.
Councillor Bill Hunt “It’s great to be part of a group that can push these things forward... it’s one of those happy moments.”
Councillor Anna Bailey described the work happening at Ely Museum and the redevelopment plans for the Mill at Soham as “exciting”.
Councillor Mike Bradley stressed the importance of CIL for Sutton surgery and thanked his colleague Councillor Lisa Stubbs and commercial director Emma Grima for “their hard work”.
The report, approved by council, emphasised the list “merely provide a potential funding source” and that detailed bids would be necessary.
It also pointed out that the Sutton surgery needed careful analysis since it was owned by an individual and as such if CIL money is provided there will need to be controls put in place. If, for example, the surgery was no longer in use, any CIL funding would be repaid to the council.
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