A VILLAGE hall solar energy project has secured a funding boost from Babergh District Council in the latest round of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) awards.

Hitcham Village Hall will benefit from funding which has been collected from developers within the area.

Cabinet members at Babergh District Council this week voted to approve a total of £116,929 worth of funding from the CIL contributions.

CIL payments are legally required from developers of residential sites across the district. Once collected, they are then redistributed by Babergh District Council to help local facilities keep pace with housing growth.

The £9,168 for Hitcham Village Hall will go towards the installation of solar panels to the roof as well as onsite battery storage.

These improvements will not only reduce its running costs with the generation of its own electrical power, it will also boost the energy efficiency and ensure the building is a comfortable temperature for the local community.

Meanwhile, around £107,000 will go towards the Sudbury Chilton Depot Transformation Project to improve facilities and capacity ahead of the mandatory introduction of improved recycling services, including weekly food waste collections, for every home in June 2026.

Bids made for CIL funding are regularly reviewed by the Council and earmarked for projects which help local infrastructure keep pace with developments happening in the districts. 

Councillor Sallie Davies, cabinet member for heritage, planning and infrastructure at Babergh District Council, said: "As always, I am thrilled to see the latest awards of CIL being allocated.

"This round of funding really does show that CIL is vital not only for larger projects, but the smaller scale ones, with both being equally important for local communities.  

"It is always great to see different projects across the district get a helping hand and I really hope that communities make use of local facilities for years to come."