Published: 06 February 2024

From: Community

Our Local Plan has identified required infrastructure needs for the town through its accompanying Infrastructure Delivery Schedule. The flexibility within the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), and regulations regarding the Neighbourhood Improvement Strand (NIS) would allow us to utilise some of the NIS funding collected to contribute to the delivery of neighbourhood-level projects which are also part of the essential infrastructure of the town.

Therefore, we are looking to hear from residents and stakeholders on its intention to fund the proposed programme (listed below) from the CIL Neighbourhood Improvement Strand.

To have your say on the above outline proposals for the use of the Neighbourhood Improvement Strand, please send us your comments by Tuesday 27 February 2024.

Email haveyoursay@crawley.gov.uk, or write to:

Communications Team
Crawley Borough Council
Town Hall
The Boulevard
Crawley
RH10 1UZ

Further reading

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge which can be levied by local authorities on new development in their area. It is an important tool for local authorities to use to help them towards the delivery of the infrastructure needed to take account of the growth generated by new development in their area.

The CIL Regulations 2010 as amended, part 7 state that 15 per cent of the total CIL contributions collected are to be allocated for spending in agreement with local communities – the Neighbourhood Improvement Strand. The council’s Local Plan has identified required infrastructure needs for the town through its accompanying Infrastructure Delivery Schedule.

Currently, to receive a contribution from the Neighbourhood improvement Strand, projects should:

  • be listed in Crawley’s Infrastructure Delivery Schedule, which identifies infrastructure required as a result of the growth forecasts indicated in the Local Plan
  • be identified in the IDS as being Critical or high-scoring essential schemes, when assessed against the agreed criteria
  • be delivered at a neighbourhood level - projects where the impact is most likely to be felt within one neighbourhood

It is proposed to expand the selection criteria for projects eligible to receive a contribution from the Neighbourhood improvement Strand, to incorporate high-scoring desirable projects. In the first instance this would see the addition of Three Bridges 3G Synthetic Turf Pitch project. 

The council is consulting local residents and stakeholders on your views on its intention to fund the above programme from the CIL Neighbourhood Improvement Strand and also to continue the Neighbourhood Improvement Fund to support community-led projects. 

In line with standard council procedures, as projects come forward in the future from the above programmes, the public will then be notified, through the Crawley consultation page, and asked for feedback on those.