Council allocates £1.75m to support exciting community projects | Sevenoaks District Council

Council allocates £1.75m to support exciting community projects

Published: Friday, 25th July 2025

Sevenoaks District Council has allocated £1,751,066.34 in the latest round of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding to support local projects.

Sevenoaks District Council has allocated £1,751,066.34 in the latest round of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding to support local projects.

The projects will help to deliver health, social and environmental benefits to communities right across the District.

  • Sevenoaks Scouting Community Barn Project will receive £500,000 towards a new District Headquarters for Sevenoaks Scouts and community centre in Seal. It will also provide a much-needed new, purpose-built home for the 9th Sevenoaks (Seal) Scout Group.
  • Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £464,000 towards the refurbishment of Darent House, part of Sevenoaks Hospital, to run an integrated healthcare hub with health and social care services all under one roof.
  • Kent Downs National Landscape Unit has secured £329,932 to help deliver an Improved Nature Access and Heritage Plan in the Darent Valley. This project will improve access to the North Downs Way for older and disabled people, including new signs and information boards. The funding will pay towards new trees and environmental improvements at three heritage sites, Lullingstone Villa, Maplescombe Chapel in West Kingsdown and Combe Bank in Sundridge. It will also help for 32 village and gateway signs.
  • Swanley Town Council has been awarded £131,634 towards new play and fitness equipment at five parks across Swanley.
  • Sevenoaks Town Council has secured £100,000 towards a new play area at Greatness Recreation Ground in Sevenoaks.
  • Edenbridge Town Council will receive £110,000 to help pay towards a new heating and hot water system at Edenbridge Sports Pavilion.
  • KCC has secured £65,000 to help pay for safety improvements to the Valley Road footpath in Fawkham.
  • Bore Place in Chiddingstone will receive £30,500 to help pay for the refurbishment of The Cabin, which is used to host environmental workshops for schools, youth groups and the wider community.
  • Sevenoaks Town Council has been awarded £20,000 to help pay for a new pedestrian crossing at Dartford Road, in Sevenoaks. The crossing will be delivered in partnership with Kent County Council.

Cllr Nigel Williams, Sevenoaks District Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Infrastructure, says: “I am excited that once again, we can support so many deserving and much needed infrastructure projects across our District with this latest round of CIL funding.”

"The money will help bring forward nine schemes to improve residents’ health and wellbeing and our environment.

“Since we introduced CIL in 2014, we have secured nearly £19 million in developer contributions for community improvements right across the District.”

Sevenoaks District Council collects CIL from liable developments across the District.

Organisations and service providers are invited to submit CIL funding bids to pay toward infrastructure projects that bring social, economic and environmental benefits.

CIL can pay towards a proportion of a project, with the remaining funding sought from other sources.

To find out more information on CIL, visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/cil.

The CIL funding was agreed at the Council’s Cabinet meeting on 15 July 2025.