Funding under the council’s Environmental Improvement Programme (EIP) has been allocated to a total of 47 projects arising from submissions from residents, local community groups and councillors.
The funding is split into two types:
- Local Area projects – for which there is a £100,000 funding allocation, divided between the four areas of the city: North, South, East and West Central areas, in proportion to the area’s population size.
- Strategic project – for which there is a £70,000 funding allocation for projects that best align with the council’s priorities and will have an impact across all areas of the city.
Some of the approved Local Area funded projects include:
- North Area: creating a safe outside seating and wildflower area on Green End Road, and the installation of benches on Jubilee Gardens so it can be better used and enjoyed by residents
- West Central Area: hedge planting to screen Lammas Land from traffic and reduce air pollution in the park and improvements to paths on Midsummer Common
- South Area: installation of drinking fountains on Hobson Square, and installing lights in trees on Wulfstan Way
- East Area: creating a community garden and wildlife area on Peverel Road and making the Rustat Road/Corrie Road ‘cut through’ green space safer.
Some of the approved Strategic funded projects include:
- Creating community food growing spaces, to help address food poverty
- Creating wildflower banks, bee mounds and increasing wildflower areas on Carisbrooke Road’s central green space
- Planting on existing pavement islands in Norwich Street
- Improving tree cover in Hobart Road by planting trees in places where they have been lost over time.
The funding for these projects was approved at the Environment and Community Scrutiny Committee meeting on Thursday 19 January.
Cllr Alex Collis, Executive Councillor Open Space, Food Justice and Community Development, said: “I am pleased that we have been able to provide funding for 47 projects and it is amazing to see how many submissions we have received. It really highlights the determination of residents to help improve the city and to support the natural environment and its wildlife.
“In 2019, the council declared a climate emergency and a biodiversity emergency, and we are fully focused on mitigating the impact of both in Cambridge. We are also committed to a vision of Cambridge being net zero by 2030.
“The Environment Improvements Programme allows us to work with and support residents to take action to improve their local streets and open spaces for the benefit of both people and wildlife.”
