Community groups and organisations invited to bid for community project funding

We invite community groups and organisations to put forward your ideas and bid for funds raised by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), to deliver projects and support new developments that will benefit residents across the borough.

Please send through your applications to the team by Sunday 15 June 2025.

The bidding process is designed to be as clear as possible and the council has introduced a new online form and guidance to help make the process simpler: epsom-ewell.gov.uk/Neighbourhood-CIL(link is external)

• To receive funding, all CIL spending applications must be for infrastructure.
• Bids will be shortlisted using the criteria set out in section C of the CIL Spending Protocol (adopted March 2025).
• More information on the process and prioritisation criteria can be found in section 5 of the CIL Spending Protocol.

All bids will be examined by the CIL Member Working Group; a shortlist will be selected and presented to the Strategy and Resources Committee for approval.

Last year, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council allocated around £330,000 from the 2023/24 Neighbourhood CIL Fund for community infrastructure projects, including:

• Footpath improvements at the Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve
• Street tree planting at Waterloo Road
• A new club house at Old Schools Lane, Ewell, to provide a home for community sports and an indoor space for activities including arts clubs, health and fitness groups, counselling services and the Sunnybank Trust, which supports 250 vulnerable men, women and young adults with learning difficulties.

Councillor Peter O’Donovan, Chair of the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee, said

“I hope that as many local community groups and organisations as possible take this opportunity to bid for funds for community projects and initiatives that can improve quality of life for residents in Epsom & Ewell.

The Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy Fund offers us the chance to deliver projects that have a real impact on our communities. By applying for this funding, community groups and organisations can help ensure that money raised through local development is spent on projects that are important to residents here in Epsom & Ewell.”

If you have any questions about the Neighbourhood CIL or the bidding process then please feel free to contact our team on CIL@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.